Archive February 1, 2026

The Basque derby between Athletic Club, based in Bilbao and Real Sociedad, based in San Sebastian, is unlike almost any other rivalry in world football.

Competitive yet respectful, friendly yet fierce, it’s a rivalry that’s not defined by hostility but by a shared identity that transcends the colours worn on match day.

For fans on both sides, this is not just another fixture. It is a celebration of football, culture, and a shared Basque identity. With the two clubs around 60 miles apart on the north-west coast of Spain, rivalry exists, but never at the expense of respect.

This Sunday’s match takes place at San Mames stadium (20:00 GMT), home to Athletic Club, who were beaten 3-2 in November’s reverse at Sociedad.

So, why is this derby different?

“It’s the joyful and friendly relationship among fans that makes it so special”, says Gaizka Atxa, an Athletic Club fan and founder of the UK supporters group.

“Although there is a fierce rivalry, the two clubs and their fans treat it with a high level of sportsmanship. We respect each other and have a jolly good time with some fun banter.”

What truly sets this derby apart is what happens off the pitch.

Before kick-off, fans from both teams gather for what’s known in Basque as poteo, traditional pub crawls through the streets of Bilbao or San Sebastian, sharing drinks, laughter, and songs.

“In the stadium, we can all mix and sit together without a problem,” Atxa adds. “That’s something very special.”

The derby is one of the most important dates on the calendar for Aitor Salinas-Armendariz, another Athletic supporter.

“Having so many away fans in the stands who are often friends and relatives is something unusual in the rest of La Liga,” he explains.

“It’s totally normal to see away fans in the seats in the home stands. They’ll probably have been given the ticket by a home fan’s relative.”

Both sets of supporters see themselves as part of the same Basque community. This shared identity shapes the atmosphere surrounding the derby.

“There is a strong sense of belonging,” Salinas-Armendariz explains. “We feel part of the same community, with common claims and struggles that go beyond what divides us.”

That sense of unity is visible everywhere on match day. Fans sharing the same bars, enjoying the pre-match build-up, and watching the match together.

It’s “a colourful and festive derby” Edu, a Real Sociedad supporter explains.

“Although Athletic has more titles, always drawing on the past, we treat each other as equals,” he says. “In the same group of friends, there are often both Real and Athletic fans. It’s a rivalry between brothers.

“We tease each other, banter a lot, and end up hugging.”

The rivalry lasts only as long as the match itself, says Athletic Club fan Javier.

This is the “defining rivalry of Basque football”, according to Athletic Club journalist Benat Gutierrez Parro.

“Although other Basque derbies share some characteristics, none is as intense as Athletic–Real Sociedad,” he says.

The rivalry reflects not only football competition but also the historic relationship between Bilbao and San Sebastian.

Given they are geographically close, the clubs frequently compete for the same talent, a tension heightened by Athletic’s policy of only signing Basque players.

“These are matches where both sides have many players who came up through their youth academies and know exactly what it means to beat one of your biggest rivals”, Gutierrez Parro said.

“Many have also grown up as fans of the teams they are now defending, which means that the level of passion on the pitch is usually high.”

Form, league position, and momentum matter less when pride is at stake.

“The derby always evens the playing field,” Gutierrez Parro says. “It’s not just three points, it can shape the next phase of the season for both teams.”

Despite the intensity, trouble between fans is virtually non-existent.

A distinctive feature of derby day is an organised cultural event known as the Bertso Derbia.

Jointly organised by the foundations of both clubs, the event brings together Basque improvisational poets, known as bertsolaris, who compose and perform verses in Euskara, the Basque language.

The performances touch on football rivalry, social issues and local identity, delivered with humour and sharp wit as each side attempts to outdo the other.

A moderator ultimately decides which team has won the competition

The event brings the two teams together and fosters a healthy rivalry between the clubs, according to Athletic Club communities director Johana Ruiz-Olabuenaga.

In the five years since the club went Hollywood, there have been more than 50 players who have signed up to be part of Wrexham’s rise.

That’s quite a few times Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have picked up the phone for a personal ‘welcome to Wrexham’.

With promotion to the Premier League the aim, there could yet be more to add to that list before this latest transfer window closes – even after a summer that saw 13 new additions at a cost of around £30m.

While the fees and wages have changed, the process has remained largely the same since Phil Parkinson arrived in north Wales as manager in July 2021.

For a club that has managed to market itself to a huge global audience ever since the documentary cameras rolled into north Wales, it’s not surprising to learn that communication is key when it comes to their transfer business.

And that includes an early spelling out of what Wrexham want to achieve in a transfer window – and how much it could cost.

While manager Parkinson keeps a constant eye on potential signings, the parameters for the window are set in a board meeting which will include Reynolds and Mac, as well as minority shareholder and executive director Kaleen Allyn.

Although the day-to-day operations at the club is handled by those on the ground, the US-based ownership plays an active role in these discussions as chief executive Michael Williamson sets out what could be possible in the market, what different approaches could achieve and the financial implications.

It is not the end of the owners’ involvement, they remain interested and invested throughout the process.

But one of the success stories of the takeover has been the celebrity pair knowing their own limits – and placing trust in the expertise of others.

That very much includes Parkinson who draws up his list of targets, working closely with assistant Steve Parkin and scout Chris Johnson.

The budget from the board meeting gives Parkinson an idea of what he is working with as they move towards the window.

But while the final say on who ends up coming through the doors at Stok Cae Ras is always with the manager, support and scrutiny comes in the form of a transfer committee.

Parkinson is joined by Williamson, as well as directors Humphrey Ker and Shaun Harvey.

Then there is former FA technical director Les Reed. The one-time Charlton Athletic manager was a key decision-maker at Southampton as they went from League One to the Premier League, a period where the club won praise for the recruitment of players such as Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane.

He has been an advisor and consultant from the early days of Reynolds and Mac’s time, even helping identify Parkinson as their choice for manager.

The five together make sure there is a collective responsibility on the approach and, crucially, if the moves are right for the club.

The biggest test is conducted by the manager.

While Reed has previously spoken of the use of data and AI systems to help identify players, there is also a traditional touch as Parkinson narrows down his options.

“He likes to spin a few plates,” says former captain Ben Tozer, one of the first significant signings under Parkinson after he dropped down two divisions to join Wrexham in 2021.

“He might have two or three players in his thoughts for that position so he was probably speaking to others when he was speaking with me.

“We had three or four conversations. You don’t realise it, but part of it is him sussing you out and if you’re going to be the right person to go into that dressing room. He just knows how to sniff out the right people.”

Having the right character is a huge factor for Parkinson – paying off with three successive promotions – and various contacts in the game are sounded out to double check that the potential newcomer will fit into the dressing room ethos.

As Parkinson puts it: “It’s about selecting the players we’d like and then can we get a deal done? Over the years we’ve been pretty good at that.

Once it’s decided to make a move, the leg work in delivering the deal is left with the experienced Harvey, and also Williamson involved in negotiations, making sure the finances work.

But all the while, the Hollywood duo are kept informed. Insiders say they will often be directly on the phone to Parkinson or the exec team – not to suggest who to sign but with a genuine excitement about what the new player will offer.

They will also offer to see if there is anything they can do to help a deal over the line. Previously players such as Steven Fletcher have discussed how a phone call from one of the red carpet stars during negotiations helped convince him to sign.

Tozer admits the early days needed a selling job for players to drop down, with Parkinson himself having to be initially reassured that the ambitions were real.

The process is a flexible one and not guaranteed to run smooth or go to plan.

Speaking after the summer window, Harvey admitted to the Fearless in Devotion podcast that the market proved more competitive than anticipated, resulting in a reassessment over budgets.

But there is always a clarity over what they want to achieve, a blueprint that has kept momentum, and a tradition of the owners reaching out to new signings to welcome them on board.

“They’re hands on, they make you feel welcome, look after you and touch base when they can,” explains midfielder George Thomason, a summer signing from Bolton.

“Obviously they’re really busy people and they’ve got a lot going on, so when they can make time for us then it’s always appreciated.”

Then there’s just the small matter of getting used to the club with cameras documenting every step along their ambitious journey.

“I remember having signed all the contracts electronically but when I got to the club there was another bit of paper to sign that was basically about the documentary,” Tozer says.