From children to lions

The 2023-24 season is coming to an end. Athletic will play the final game of the season in Vallecas on Saturday with nothing at stake from a qualifying point of view having secured fifth place with Sunday’s victory over Sevilla in San Mamés. There is only one individual goal left to achieve, the Zamora trophy of First Simon. Otherwise, all fish are sold. Now, after more than ten months of competition – the first match against Real Madrid was played on August 12 last year – it’s time to take stock.

Valverde He used 28 players between League and Cup, including Peru Nolaskoainwho is no longer in the red and white ranks after leaving for Eibar in Joseba Etxeberria. Six of them made their debut as lions. Among them, the one who played the most was Beñat Prados. Txingurri started the season with Galarretta and Vesga initially in the engine room, but the Navarrese offered a great performance in the second part of the season. So for now he is part of the starting eleven coach of Gasteiztarra. The center midfielder arrived from his loan at Second Division Mirandés converted into a First Division footballer. His debut took place on the second day played at El Sadar. He played 26 games, 16 of them starts to complete 1,450 league minutes, fourteenth in this statistic.

The second child became a lion with the most numbers and the first to debut was First Gómez. The Bermean was training with the first team in the latter part of last season, but it was on the first day that he made his debut after having a good preseason. Valverde He started him in Real Madrid’s visit to San Mamés (0-2) where, in the end, it was the team’s only defeat at home. The midfielder mainly played as a forward, although he also played as a central midfielder. He played 24 matches in the regular tournament, 9 since the start (822 minutes).

The third on this record is Imanol García de Albéniz. Gallarta’s side was the least satisfied. He also debuted in the first match – he replaced Lekue in the second part – but it does not count Valverde when Yuri He needs a replacement on the left side of the defense. His poor game against Valencia at home saw him punished. He has completed eight commitments and 492 minutes.

That’s where the reserve team players come from. Mikel Jauregizar He left a good impression on his debut in the elite. He played his first Cup match against Cayón, much to the relief of his compatriot First Gómez and since then he has played six matches in the regularity tournament, all of them from the bench. The last puppy to play in this competition and the last to debut was Aingeru Olabarrieta. Alavés went out in the second half of Sunday’s clash against Sevilla, having been substituted Inaki Williams. He became the best player of Bilbao Athletic Gurpegi in the controls. He is left-footed, but plays with a modified leg on the right of attack.

The sixth is First Egiluz. The one from Durango played only one game, against Rubí in the first Cup tie Txingurri also did not trust his services when a center-back was needed. He prefers to use a first team player in the position with the lowest strength.