The La Liga season is set to kick off with a clash between Athletic Bilbao and Getafe. Both teams are eager to start their campaign on a positive note and are expected to give their all in this opening match.

Last season, Athletic Bilbao finished fifth, with a record of 19 wins, 11 draws, and 8 losses. Getafe, on the other hand, secured 12th place, ending with 10 wins, 13 draws, and 15 losses.

Historically, their encounters have often ended in draws, but Bilbao holds a slight edge with 2 wins, 7 draws, and just 1 loss in their last 10 meetings. In their most recent encounter, Bilbao emerged victorious with a 2-0 win on the road, despite Getafe dominating the match with 29 shots and 9 on target.

In recent friendlies, Bilbao struggled with back-to-back losses against stronger opposition, while Getafe managed a win and a draw, showing a more positive form heading into the season.

However, the long offseason has brought significant changes to both squads, making past records less relevant. Bilbao's defense has taken a hit with the departure of key defender Unai Núñez to Celta Vigo and injuries to both their starting goalkeeper, Unai Simón, and his backup. As a result, they are forced to rely on their third-choice goalkeeper, raising concerns about their defensive stability. Additionally, their recent defensive woes were evident as they conceded 11 goals in 5 preseason matches.

Bilbao's major signing, 15 million euro acquisition Jallo from Braga, is not in the squad for this game. Getafe, meanwhile, lost their main striker Enes Ünal to Bournemouth in the Premier League, and their top scorer Borja Mayoral is also sidelined with an injury. The team has struggled offensively, scoring only 3 goals in their last 10 games and posting a disappointing record of 1 win, 4 draws, and 5 losses.

Given these factors, Bilbao is expected to secure a narrow 2-1 victory at home.

The second match of La Liga's opening weekend features Real Betis against Girona.

Betis finished seventh last season, with 14 wins, 15 draws, and 9 losses, while Girona had an impressive campaign, finishing third with 25 wins, 6 draws, and 7 losses, trailing only Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Historically, Betis has had the upper hand in this matchup, winning 7 out of their last 10 encounters, with 2 draws and just 1 loss. However, Girona won their most recent meeting, a 3-2 victory at home.

In recent form, Betis managed two consecutive draws in their warm-up matches against tough opponents, while Girona is coming off two consecutive losses, conceding 7 goals and scoring only 2 in the process.

Betis made minimal moves in the transfer market, spending nearly 10 million euros on three new players. However, they did lose key defender Luiz Felipe to Crystal Palace for 15 million euros and full-back Abner Vinícius to Lyon for 8 million euros, weakening their defensive setup.

Girona also saw significant changes, selling striker Viktor Tsygankov to AS Roma for 30.5 million euros and midfielder Oriol Romeu to Bayer Leverkusen for 18 million euros. They brought in several reinforcements, including Ruiz from Braga for 9 million euros, Kreiči for 8 million euros, and Donny van de Beek for a bargain 500,000 euros. Despite these additions, Girona's form remains shaky, highlighted by a 3-2 loss to Bournemouth in their last warm-up match.