Asier Villalibre is already winning outside of Bilbao

Whether or not he scored on his Deportivo Alavés debut, he decided the lines for Thursday in this space will go to Asier Villalibre. Athletic’s number 20 is already flying away from Bilbao, at least until the end of this season, but since he kept his number until a few days ago in the rojiblanco team, I want to honor him in the series of numbers I keep every week. At Deportivo Alavés, he wore 12.

The striker from Gernika could not have had a better debut. That is called reaching out and kissing the saint. In 20 minutes, two goals, which also served to defeat Sociedad Deportiva Eibar. Against the same rival, Villalibre made his Athletic debut in his season, but he did not have the same luck in front of goal. Of course, he doesn’t have the centers and opportunism he once had.

Now, with Athletic, he assisted the third goal scored by Iker Muniain that day. So his debut as a lion wasn’t too bad either. And beware, the day he made his debut as a starter in the League with Athletic, he also scored. He did it in the Spanish field. His first goals as a lion were scored in the Cup against Sestao River.

No one was surprised by Villalibre’s departure from the market this winter. The lack of minutes and popularity weighed on a player who renewed his contract until 2025 and was called upon to be the goal man in the not-too-distant future. We will see.

The truth is that Valverde started him in the first game in the league and in the second game he was a substitute. There is little patience with the striker from Biscay. Or at least, less than other players. I believe in Villalibre, or I want to continue to believe in his qualities, because he has them.

First Time

Now, I also want to be demanding of him because he is no longer a newcomer. We’ll never know, but if Villalibre had the chance to play 251 games in a row, and for the record I believe the man from Gernika and Iñaki Williams would fit in the same starting eleven, he might have better goalscoring records at Athletic . There were 103 games, of which no more than 10 were complete, and 13 goals were scored.

Deportivo Alavés will be the fourth assignment outside of Bilbao for Villalibre. After Numancia, Valladolid and Lorca, in Mendizorrotza he seeks the leading role that he has not been able to get in Bilbao, and that he also did not have in the three previous assignments, make no mistake. We should also not forget the stretch where he was at Bilbao Athletic, in the Second Division B, and where he grew to score goals: 23 in 38 games. I hope I can achieve those records with the albiazul shirt because it will be a good sign for everyone.

Villaliber is a different class from the star-studded League. Different even from many of his colleagues in Athletic. With the concepts of living in a different way than we are used to a professional footballer. The fact that he continues to be part of, for example, an electrocharanga group says a lot about him. Beyond that he has a passion like music.

He has had to defend himself in circles about this: “If I don’t practice, I can play as a hobby.” And there is no shortage of reasons. Now, I wrote this last season and I still keep it, let it be understood, I want Villalibre to be remembered for his goals, breaking markers or his assists. Not if he had a trumpet in his suitcase. It doesn’t matter on other Thursdays.