Athletic Club Are In Red Hot Form And Closing In On A Return To European Football

Athletic Club are in red hot form and closing in on a return to European football (Image Source: IANS)

Jose Angel Iribar: Saturday’s meeting between Athletic Club and Atletico de Madrid was always going to be a special occasion for the Basque club.

With 2023 having marked the institution’s 125th anniversary and with a statue of the legendary Jose Angel Iribar unveiled before kick-off, there was a real buzz around San Mames for the visit of the capital city side.

What made the game extra special for the fans in Bilbao was the commanding performance of Ernesto Valverde’s team and the 2-0 victory. That result means Athletic Club have now gone seven games undefeated in LALIGA EA SPORTS, their longest unbeaten run since 2019.

The win also makes it eight home matches in a row in which Athletic Club have picked up points. After losing to Real Madrid on the opening weekend, Los Leones have bounced back and made San Mames a fortress by winning six and drawing two of their subsequent eight games in Bilbao.

The loyal Athletic Club supporters are enjoying watching their team play. Over this run of eight home games without defeat, the team scored an average of three goals each game. That has helped propel Athletic Club to third place in the overall LALIGA EA SPORTS scoring charts, something which many would have considered unthinkable just a few months ago.

It is never easy to replace a legend and Athletic Club discovered this following the retirement of Aritz Aduriz in 2020. The striker had been the leader of the team’s attack for so long, scoring 172 goals in 407 appearances over three separate stints. With the club’s Basque-only policy limiting options in the transfer market, it took a while for the team to find a reliable centre-forward who could convert the chances being created.

In Gorka Guruzeta, it seems Athletic Club have finally landed on a centre-forward they can rely on. The Lezama academy graduate spent time at CE Sabadell and SD Amorebieta before being brought back to Bilbao in 2022. Last season he netted just six league goals for the team, but the club’s decision-makers felt there was potential.

In 2023/24, Guruzeta has absolutely unlocked that potential. At the age of 27, it seems he is entering his prime and he has already scored eight league goals this campaign, a tally bettered only by Jude Bellingham, Borja Mayoral and Antoine Griezmann. Not only is Guruzeta converting the chances that other strikers had been missing in previous seasons, but he is the perfect player to lead the line in Valverde’s 4-2-3-1 system thanks to his work off the ball and his ability to tee up his teammates.

Speaking about Guruzeta, Valverde stated: “He is clinical in the final third, especially if we create opportunities in space, while he is also a quick finisher. He has earned his place in the starting line-up. He is a player whose minutes-to-goals ratio must be among the best in the league.”

Two of the players who have benefited the most from Guruzeta’s work at the tip of attack are the Williams brothers. Both Iñaki Williams and Nico Williams are having excellent seasons, with the former having scored eight league goals of his own this term and with the younger brother having contributed three goals in addition to five assists.

In Saturday’s win over Atlético de Madrid, Guruzeta netted the opener before Nico Williams produced a highlights reel moment with a super strike for Los Leones’ second. The 21-year-old cut inside and curled a fierce shot over Jan Oblak to send San Mames wild with delight.

That goal came on what was a special day for the Williams brothers, as Inaki Williams made his 400th appearance for the team and Nico Williams his 100th. They are living the dream and, in partnership with Guruzeta, are powering the team towards a potential return to Europe. Athletic Club haven’t played a UEFA fixture since March of 2018 and are determined to end their European drought. Currently in fifth, and scoring goal after goal, it seems this year’s Athletic Club squad has what it takes to return to continental action at long last.

Valverde, who has coached Athletic Club to European qualification five times before, knows exactly what is required. As he concluded after Saturday’s win: “There are lots of things we’ve done well this season and we hope to achieve a lot more. We have to look to the future. We must keep pushing and keep going.”