De Marcos does not participate in a session without Galarreta or Nico Williams

The absence of De Marcos was the most prominent note in the morning training session held yesterday by Athletic in Lezama. This is not the first time the veteran right-back has missed a work session at the red-and-white complex’s outdoor facilities with the rest of his teammates. The Alava defender completed Friday’s clash in Mendizorrotza and there is no medical report on his physical condition, so his absence from the pitch this Sunday morning could be motivated by a simple matter of precaution.

Valverde also does not rely on the help of Galarreta, Nico Williams and Nolaskoain in this training session. The Eibar midfielder had to be substituted due to a muscle injury in the clash against Alavés. All indications are that he will be in at least two league matches this week.

The youngest Williams, for his part, came out yesterday to train on the outdoor fields of Lezama, but he did so apart from the rest of the team. The Navarrese, who was injured against Mallorca with an adductor problem, has worked under the supervision of Xabi Clemente. It seems not, because of what we have seen, that I arrived at the right time to face the challenge the next day against Getafe, but we have to wait for developments. Nolaskoain, finally, continues his recovery from the muscle injury that has kept him out of the group for several weeks now.

To spin or not to spin

One thing is very clear before the upcoming league match against Bordalás: Valverde, unlike what happened on Friday in Gasteiz, will not repeat the same starting eleven from the last two days. The injury to Galarreta, one of the regulars since the start of the league championship, will force the rojiblanco coach to make at least one change. We have to see what his intentions are, because it cannot be denied in advance that he will choose to apply a more or less extensive rotation considering that Real awaits Anoeta on Saturday.

According to the words of the Gasteiztarra coach himself before the match against Cádiz in San Mamés and based on what was done last season and his second stint on the Bilbao bench, it is possible that the changes in goal will have an impact. We will have to wait, therefore, to see if Agirrezabala has his first minutes in the current campaign at the expense of Unai Simón who started the season on a high level.

From there, another series of changes in different lines should not be excluded either. Getafe, considered a more defensive team, will come to Botxo tomorrow with the bitter knowledge of their defeat yesterday at Anoeta by 4-3. The Azulones, who drew with San Mamés in their last two visits, made it clear in Donostia that they know how to play more than contain.