Athletic will now leave for Saudi Arabia to play in the Spanish Super Cup with a goalkeeper change in its squad. Álex Padilla, who last week signed his renewal as a lion until 2029, said goodbye to his teammates yesterday after completing the corresponding training in Lezama. The Zarautz goalkeeper left for Mexico to play on loan for Pumas.
Everyone suggested that if Padilla were to leave it would be Oier Gastesi, the goal of the subsidiary, who would join the dynamics of the first team, something that already happened last summer when both Unai Simón and Julen Agirrezabala were absent due to injury. . Nothing could be further from the truth, even now.
The 21-year-old Navarrese goalkeeper, who has already been called up for Athletic in Liga matches and spent the last preseason with the lions, remains in Bilbao training with the red and white reserve team. The goalkeeper chosen by Valverde to be part of the red and white expedition that will leave today for Saudi Arabia is his teammate, Mikel Santos. The 20-year-old from Bilbao, who trained at Lezama with spells at Danok Bat, has played eight games this season with Bilbao Athletic in the Primera RFEF.
Yesterday he worked with the first team players in the morning training conducted by Valverde in Lezama after Saturday night’s cup clash and early Sunday morning in Las Gaunas. The lions will train again today starting at 10 am in the red and white facilities to later leave for Jeddah.
Its debut in this edition of the Spanish Super Cup is scheduled for 8 pm The red and white will face Barça in the first semifinal of this tournament. The clash will take place at the King Abdullah Stadium.
Earrings
Last Saturday’s clash against UD Logroñés does not seem to have left any consequences in terms of casualties in the Athletic squad. Valverde has already warned in the press room of Las Gaunas that his intention is to bring all the players to Saudi Arabia. Sancet, who was left out of the squad for this final cup match due to an ankle injury sustained in last year’s final match against Osasuna, was reinstated yesterday outside Lezama.
Yeray and Ruiz de Galarreta, who were absent against UD Logroñés due to their respective muscle problems, complete Athletic’s official casualty list two days before the match against the Barça squad. The red-and-white coach does not rule out that both of them have recovered, along with Sancet, for the Super Cup.
No progress was expected, therefore, in the red-and-white expedition except for the aforementioned Padilla.
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.
