Oihan Sancet is a world-class player

I would be surprised to see Oihan Sancet playing in the World Cup in Qatar, but with Luis Enrique, don’t rule him out, far from it. On the 11th we will leave doubts. Next week, without further ado.

Navarrese passed the first cut, that of the list of 55 players. We’ll see if he gets through to the final and joins Unai Simón and Nico Williams, which, for me, is already fixed. I just didn’t see Iñigo Martínez, although I give Ondarroa more options than Navarrese. And that’s how it happened.

It’s complicated for him, but if he keeps playing a good game like he did the other day against Villarreal, he won’t go far. Sancet has yet to make his senior Spanish team debut, but is a regular for the under-21s.

I like Sancet’s soccer profile. I think he should be the player that should revolve around the current and future project of Athletic. So of course, I say. I read a piece of information on ‘Adurizpedia’ that caught my attention: the tall Atletico midfielder played 90 official games at Athletic and the other day, against Villarreal, it was his second complete game: 2 in 90 .

It is true that in five changes the film changes. Also that offensive players are more likely to be replaced. But 2 out of 90 sounds like an exaggeration to me. And Sancet is no longer young.

In the final phase of the games is when there is more space, more fatigue and that’s where Navarrese can increase his goalcoring income, which is one of the buts I put on the rojiblanco. This course has three goals (against Elche, Rayo and Almería) and has played, yes, eleven of the twelve games played so far in the League. The only other game he played fully was at Huesca in the 2020-21 season, with Marcelino on the rojiblanco bench. The lions suffered a defeat on that 36th day, a day in which they forced some choices in Europe.

From the hand of Berizzo

Sancet got into the rojiblanco first team thanks to Berizzo’s bet. The same is the only positive thing, and let it be understood, that the Argentine did to Athletic. But with Toto, what is with Toto because of other players and other coaches, our mouths are filled immediately and some seem to cost more than us.

Chile’s current coach noticed Sancet when he was playing in the youth team and called him up for that preseason. It is true that several calls with Spain’s lower category and, above all, the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee delayed his Athletic debut. Debut that came from the hands of Gaizka Garitano on the unforgettable night where Aduriz made his last serve in the form of a goal, yes the Chilean against Barça. As if to remember that day Sancet made his debut as a lion and he did it to stay.

It is true that during Marcelino’s time on the Athletic bench, Sancet was playing center forward. By force they are hanged. He ends up fitting in, what a remedy, but his features are more suited to the position he occupies now than as an offensive reference. It is true that he owes money and could ask for more regularity, but his turns and oriented control is a house brand that is very hard to find in today’s football. And it doesn’t fit any other Thursday.