Has anyone dared to ensure that De Marcos will not renew?

As fate would have it, today, the day Athletic plays for the semi-final match of the Cup at Mestalla, the player I have to write about is Oscar de Marcos, the hero of the round of 16 duel against the Spanish, the author of the goal that gave Athletic the classification against the Catalan team. It has been in doubt for a week, but hopefully tonight he will be more of a hero and leave the rojiblanco team two games away from a new final. From Marcos, the eternal. In which many, including me, we withdrew from football two seasons ago and the man from Laguardia continues to be the undisputed starter and even (almost) no one discusses his possible contract extension with Ibaigane club.

See what phrase I wrote last time around From Marcos. Eyes that are not wasted. Pulling from the newspaper library and not leaving me in a good place, everything must be said in passing: My opinion is that his phase as a first team player is over. That’s how I insist. He then argued that De Marcos’ season was somewhat irregular, and it was. That the player himself recognized that the withdrawal was going through his head, and that the injuries gave a difficult time to one of the captains of the team. “I have to be here at the time I deserve. I’m not going to fool anybody,” he explained last season. He didn’t say it this season, but I’m sure he’s thinking about it. From Marcos It is suspicious, in this one, less.

From Marcos Celebrating his fourteenth season as a lion, he has joined the elite club and is among the ten players to have worn the Athletic men’s first team shirt the most times. I think he will enter the 500 club. He has 23 left and 24 official matches Athletic can play if they reach the Cup final. So far he has participated in all the league matches. I already, I insist, with De Marcos involved I don’t dare to write anything. But if he does renew, which it looks like, he will surely reach the 500 game mark and break through the group of susaeta, Iraola, Etxeberria, holy Y Txetxu Red. Almost nothing. He arrived with Caparrós to play in offensive positions and time and the needs of the team delayed him to the side. Those seasons with bielsa In the playmaker it is, at least for me, in sports, the most remembered. It was a spectacle to see him in such a position. And if he has been more successful in front of goal, I don’t want to tell you.

Now that Athletic have made it to the semifinals of the Cup, now that Athletic may be closer to a final, now that Athletic may be closer to lifting the long-awaited Cup again, I want holythe first captain, allowed From Marcos raise the Cup with him. Both at the same time, I want to see that image for many reasons.

I repeat. I might have to write again next season From Marcos because he is still in the squad, but just in case, write again: a man will leave, who did not suck Lezama since he understood what was inside Athletic, and, more importantly, outside the club. A dedicated, professional, educated guy with character and needed in a locker room and an entity like I understand Athletic. I don’t know if as a coach, if as an assistant or in the Foundation. De Marcos should be an asset to the club well beyond the end of his time as a player. I’m still very clear. And if next year I have to write it again, I will. And by the way, my answer to your question in the headline is, no. It wouldn’t be a thing on any other Thursday.