unrecognizable athletic

Unai Simon. Alezo, Leque, Paredes, Unai Gomez. Lego, Yauregizaru. Berengar, Sunset, Robert Navarro. And Grzeta. And just like that, Athletic 2025 has come to an end. One of those situations where non-regular fans of the Bilbao team wonder where Vivian, Laporte, Yuri, Williams are…that’s what exists at this point in the season.

The loss against Espanyol at the end of the year has its own downsides, but there are also perhaps even bigger upsides for Espanyol. Manolo González’s team made it clear in San Mamés that their fourth consecutive win (now five in a row) was no fluke.

But in athletics, it’s pretty much the same. Lots of love and a little strength. This is the fourth league loss this season. All has been said.

from beginning to end

Valverde’s last official line-up for 2025, held in San Mamés last night, included only three Lions in the original squad. It happened in Las Gaunas on January 4th of this year, which is already a long time ago. Paredes, Adama and Berenguer also played in the match. Three members of the current team, Vesuga, Nico Serrano and Grzeta, started on the bench against UD Logronjes.

Of the 11 members of the starting team in Rioja territory, a further five are not part of the current squad. Aguirre Zabala is on loan at Valencia, De Marcos has retired, Nunez is playing for Verona, Ander Herrera is at Boca Juniors and Jaro is on loan at Al Gharafa in Qatar. What can change the physiognomy of a team throughout the same calendar year?

Of the 11 horses that started 2025, only three finished playing yesterday against Espanyol: Paredes, Berenguer and Grzeta. We’ll have to wait and see what 2026 holds.