The bane of every summer in the Athletic cause

The purpose of Athletic It has a life of its own and every summer, round and round, it decides to stir. It may seem like the height of bad luck for a team to have its two main goalkeepers injured at the same time, but looking back it was just another day in the red and white office. Various physical problems, leaving by termination clause, problems when renewing, international calls, unexpected returns after leaving the loan… As if it was a Russian roulette of misfortune It is impossible to have a conventional preseason with the goal of the lions.

The ultimate ‘victim’ of this kind of curse is First Simon and Julen Agirrezabala. Side by side in the infirmary. The one from Murgia underwent an operation this week on his right wrist and aims to be sick leave for four or five months, as revealed by the doctor who operated on him. The San Sebastian native suffered a contusion to his lower back after a bad fall during Tuesday’s session left him. three fractures in the right transverse process of L2, L3 and L4. Simón offered to postpone his operation further, but Athletic decided against it.

Especially because Agirrezabala It’s not as serious as the first one. Of course, it is almost impossible for the Premiere of the League on August 15 against Getafe. Valverde He assured Thursday that he will be out for about a month, “maybe more or less,” but he is “first game reachability limit”. If not, Padilla and expenses are the alternatives.

The current one is the second part of a movie released two summers ago, although not as serious. Simon He started work a week later than his colleagues at Athletic because it came from a dispute with League of Nations and upon his return he noticed some discomfort in his right shoulder that kept him out of circulation for the entire preseason. Agirrezabala, for his part, broke a finger and had to undergo surgery. The friends split up Padilla and Ander Iru. Simon He didn’t play anything, but he came right to the official premiere against Majorca.

In 2023-24 there were no incidents with injuries, but national team commitments from the previous campaign disrupted the plans. First Simon He joined later because of his participation in the last episode of League of Nationsjoin the journey to Mexico and debuted in the first friendly, and Agirrezabala He did this on his return after being claimed in European sub’21 wherein Spain He got the Olympic ticket.

It all started in 2018. The mother of all cocoa. Athletic had a position that was more than covered Kepa, Herrerín and Remiro. Too much First Simon was moved to Elche so that he can take his first steps among the elite. Silence? Absolutely. He Chelsea paid 80 million of the clause Kepa. Two days later, injured Herrerin and only one month left, so The Bilbao entity was forced to recall Simón 20 days after his loan. The idea is that Remiro was a starter on debut against LeganesHowever, the surprise came when he went to the stand for her disagreement with Athletic to renew. He is very advanced in his transition to Real society which will be fulfilled at the end of the campaign. It was Simon’s first day as a lion.

The curse rested in 2019-20. The only calm preseason with the Zurigorris goalkeepers. The prelude to pandemic which marked the summer of 2020. A preparatory phase compressed by the previous imprisonment. Simón only played in the first friendly, then he joined the Spanish team. ‘Bowling’ is for Ezkieta and Ander Iru and Murgia was there for the league debut. In 2021, Simon comes from folding European Cup and Gamesso he had a logical and well-deserved vacation on his return to Bilbao. He missed the entire preseason and Agirrezabala He played the first two days.

For every problem, there is a solution. And all the aforementioned setbacks have not affected the collective performance of Athletichence the current damages of first and Julian They should not be an exception. Especially since the goal is, probably, the best covered position on the red and white team. Both in the first team level and in the lower categories.