Why are Liverpool playing Athletic Bilbao twice in a Day? Reason Explained

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Liverpool are playing Athletic Bilbao in a double header friendly in a single day at the Anfield. The Reds and the Spanish club have managed to take part in two matches on the same day.

The first match of this back-to-back friendly took place at Anfield, where Liverpool secured a strong 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao. Sixteen-year-old Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha opened the scoring just 87 seconds into the game with a stunning solo effort.

After pouncing on a loose ball near the halfway line, Ngumoha charged forward at pace and curled the ball into the bottom right corner beating the Athletic goalkeeper Alex Padilla. Shortly after, Ngumoha was again involved, providing the assist for Darwin Núñez to double Liverpool's lead inside the opening five minutes. Ben Doak then added a third goal just before half time, firing a low shot past the keeper after beating his marker on the right wing. Harvey Elliott sealed the win with Liverpool's fourth goal in the second half. Athletic Bilbao's consolation goal came from Gorka Guruzeta.

Liverpool started with a mix of youth and experience including Alexis Mac Allister making his first preseason start and club captain Andy Robertson leading the team. The match was also notable for a moment of tribute to the late Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, with a stoppage and applause from both sides. Athletic Bilbao showed some attacking intent, hitting the crossbar once and creating a few chances, but Liverpool's intensity and efficiency, especially in the first half, proved too strong for them.

Why are Liverpool playing Athletic Club Twice?

Liverpool are playing Athletic Bilbao twice in quick succession as part of their pre-season preparations to build match sharpness by giving as many squad players as possible some valuable game time. This double-header format allows both teams to test their squads, experiment with tactics, and get players match-ready ahead of the new season in a competitive yet controlled environment.

This format is becoming more common in pre-season as it allows teams to simulate competitive scenarios and fine-tune squad rotation strategies before official matches begin. Sporting-wise, Athletic Bilbao is a strong opponent with a rich football history and a recent fourth-place finish in La Liga, making them a challenging yet valuable opponent for Liverpool's preparations.