Alejandro Berenguer is number 7 at Athletic. The Navarrese striker, according to Athletic’s official website and more considering what we saw on Sunday in Valladolid, is in his fifth season at Athletic, his fourth in that number. He debuted in the red and white team with the number 12.
Winter transfer signing from Torino. Berenguer completed his first season with that number and after the departure of Arenas’ current coach Ibai Gómez, the Navarrese got the number 7 and it looks like he will wear it until the end of his time as a lion.
Berenguer is the history of the club. He will always be remembered as the player who converted the last penalty so that Athletic, 40 years later, could win their 25th Copa del Rey. Yes, Raúl García, Iker Muniain, Mikel Vesga, Julen Agirrezabala and Sancet are key, no doubt. But it was Navarrese who scored the winning goal, and no one will take that away from a player who played in that final without knowing his future was decided. Where I was then. And Berenguer will be red and white, at least, until 2027.
in trouble
We come to the point, what the great Joaquín Caparrós would say before an interview: Which Athletic player do you associate with the number 7? I had my doubts and I am explaining them.
I think Athletic’s number 7 par excellence is Daniel Ruiz Bazán. The thing is I had a weakness: Xabier Eskurza. Obviously, because of performance, career, numbers, statistics and everything you want to compare, Dani won. But Eskurza on the right wing in that Heynckes diamond is too good for my taste.
And of course, I never saw the former captain play. Or at least, I don’t have as much memory of him as Trapagaran. So, my dilemma.
The truth is that this is a number with a lot of history in Athletic. Two great legends of the red and white club like Rafael Iriondo and Artetxe wore it. In recent times, Jon Andoni Goikoetxea, a signing from FC Barcelona who came to Athletic after his participation in the 94th World Cup in the USA, or Beñat Etxebarria, who went from number 10 at Betis to number 7 at Athletic, have other players. important players who wore that number on the ‘zurigorri’ shirt.
Other lions who wore this number in the red-and-white first team were David López, who scored great goals from free kicks, or Andoni Imaz, who was a delegate, and who with number 7 scored goal in Tblisi that was the key. for the red-and-white team to play for the first time in the Champions League. It’s not on the level of Berenguer’s goal at La Cartuja, but it has a point and it is, in part, the history of the club.
The numbers
Álex Berenguer has played in four positions this season. Of the four offensive natures. On the wings, in the midfielder and as a center forward, the other day in Valladolid, also appearing in the starting eleven. It was during his time that Marcelino used it in that position in the Asturian’s 4-4-2.
On Betis’ day at San Mamés he came off the bench and scored the tying goal with a superb header. Against Espanyol he started in place of Sancet and had a good game. Right now I see him playing more inside than on the wing. More than who they are playing on the wings at Athletic, of course.
High quality player. Berenguer has earned his importance in this Athletic team and is on his way to becoming reference number 7 in the rojiblanco first team. It won’t be something from another Thursday.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
