This will be the first 2024/25 Europa League game at San Mamés and there will be at least four more to come: Athletic Club's remaining league phase fixtures plus the final on 21 May next year. Ander Herrera could not decide how good a result Athletic's 1-1 draw at Roma on Matchday 1 was, as he told UEFA.com: "In this kind of tournament, a point is a point. You never know if they're going to taste like three when we look back in a few weeks."

Taking three points from AZ Alkmaar might make that draw feel a little bit more precious, though that will be no small task: the Dutch side have made a positive start to the season and newly arrived Irish striker Troy Parrott has hit the ground running, scoring their winner in a tight encounter with Elfsborg on Matchday 1.

Did you know?

The teams met in the 2015/16 group stage; AZ won 2-1 at home then earned a 2-2 draw in Spain.