The Cathedral prepares for a green and white invasion

San Mamés is about to host a clash between two teams that represent everything right and occasionally everything very confusing about Spanish football. We have Athletic Club, a team so committed to their local-only policy that they’d probably start a three-legged goat if it was born within ten miles of Bilbao, facing off against Real Betis, a club whose defensive consistency is about as reliable as a chocolate umbrella in a Seville summer.

Currently sitting in a mediocre 10th place with 35 points, Athletic Club is having the kind of season that makes you wonder if they’ve forgotten that the goal of the game is to actually put the ball in the net, not just run around it very quickly. They’ve managed 10 wins and 13 losses, which is essentially the statistical equivalent of a shrug. Their high-pressing style usually looks great for the first twenty minutes before everyone remembers they haven't had a clinical finisher since the Reagan administration.

On the other side, Real Betis is flying high in 5th with 44 points. Manuel Pellegrini, a man who looks like he’s permanently smelling something slightly off, has somehow guided this squad of technical wizards and occasional defensive liabilities into a European spot. With 11 draws on their record, they are the undisputed KINGS of the "we’ll take a point and go home" philosophy. They just came off a 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo, proving once again that they can dominate a game and still find a way to let a random striker ruin their weekend.

EXPECT a lot of noise, a lot of aggressive Basque tackling, and at least one moment where a Betis defender decides to play a casual backpass that nearly causes a heart attack in the away end. Athletic will HATE the fact that Betis is nine points ahead of them, while Betis will just be happy to be there as long as nobody breaks Isco’s legs.

Prediction: Athletic Club 1-1 Real Betis