Olympique de Marseille will host Athletic Club de Bilbao in a friendly match at the Stade Vélodrome on August 9th, the club announced on Thursday evening. The match is part of Marseille’s “Summer Tour” preparations ahead of the upcoming season.
This will be the fifth competitive meeting between the two clubs, with Marseille holding a historical advantage. Their most recent encounter was in the 2017-2018 Europa League round of 32, where Marseille eliminated Bilbao with Dimitri Payet and Lucas Ocampos scoring in both legs of the tie. The French side progressed to the quarter-finals that season.
Marseille are currently in Côte d’Ivoire as part of their pre-season training camp, preparing for the new Ligue 1 campaign. The club is under new management this season, with Bruno Genesio outlining his tactical vision for the team. He will be looking to build on a season where Marseille finished in seventh place, missing out on European qualification.
Bilbao, meanwhile, consistently compete in the upper echelons of La Liga, often challenging for European places. They finished eighth in the Spanish top flight last season. The friendly will provide both teams with a valuable opportunity to assess their squads and tactical approaches before the competitive season begins. The match offers a chance for both clubs to gauge their form against strong opposition and fine-tune their strategies.
The fixture is notable as a clash between two clubs with strong regional identities and passionate fan bases. This friendly serves as a key part of Marseille’s pre-season schedule as they aim to improve upon last season’s performance and secure a return to European competition.
