Atalanta to Play Athletic Bilbao in Friendly Match
Listen to the story
Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao will meet in a friendly football match on 14 August. A friendly is a game played outside official competitions, often used to prepare teams before the season begins.
Atalanta, based in Italy, and Athletic Bilbao, based in Spain, are both well-known clubs in European football. Ahead of the match, fans have been searching for information about where to stream the game, the exact kick-off time, and the expected line-ups for both sides.
Coverage of the fixture also includes a match preview, which usually looks at team form, possible tactics, and other details before the game starts. Some sites also publish a prediction, giving readers an idea of who might win, though these are only guesses and not guaranteed outcomes.
Because it is a pre-season friendly, both clubs are likely using the match to test players and build fitness before their official competitions begin. Friendlies like this one often feature squad rotation, meaning coaches may give playing time to many different players rather than a fixed starting eleven.
As the date approaches, more details about broadcast information and confirmed squads are expected to be released.
Vocabulary10 words
- friendly
- a game played for practice, not for competition points
- stream
- to watch something online over the internet
- kick-off
- the exact time a football match begins
- line-ups
- the players chosen to start a match
- match preview
- information published before a game about what to expect
- tactics
- the plan a team uses to try to win
- prediction
- a guess about the result of a game
- pre-season
- the time before the official season starts
- squads
- the full group of players a team can choose from
- fixture
- a scheduled sports match
Quiz
Answer key
1. A pre-season friendly 2. To prepare players and test fitness before the season 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao will meet in a _____ football match on 14 August. A friendly is a game played outside official _____, often used to prepare teams before the season begins.
Atalanta, based in _____, and Athletic Bilbao, based in _____, are both well-known clubs in European football. Fans have been searching for where to _____ the game, the exact _____ time, and the expected _____ for both sides.
Coverage of the fixture also includes a match _____, which looks at team form and possible _____. Some sites publish a _____, giving readers an idea of who might win.
Because it is a _____ friendly, both clubs are likely testing players before their official competitions begin.