Sancet shines as an athletic change from strength to strength

Athletic Club headed for the 2024/25 season with a good spirit after their best league campaign in a decade, and the first large trophy in 40 years after winning the Copa del Rey.

Back in Europe for the first time in seven seasons, quite easy in the same year the final of the European League will go to Bilbao, there are some quite basic narratives that dictate most of the pre-season expectations in Bizkaia.

One of them is that the demand to compete in the expanded European League will make real tension in one squad that will never have significant quality added to it, given the club’s old recruitment policy.

The other is that Nico Williams, who is new from the brilliant Euro 2024, will become absolute Linchpin in attacks and players who are most likely to throw them on other successful campaigns.

As it turns out, none of the things are entirely true. The Athletic squad mostly held the demands of playing twice per week, with finishing in the 2nd in the European League League phase. Meanwhile, they are currently in the 4th place in Laliga with 15 more matches, on average 1.91 points per game, their highest number since the introduction of three points for victory in the 1990s.

They must have settled for that in San Mames in August, but they also assume that such a situation means that Nico Williams, who is considered as one of the hottest young prospects in Europe, will enjoy this season from his life.

Strangely, that had not yet happened, and while Nico remained a very important player for Ernesto Valverde, he would be disappointed with the return of only one goal and three assists in 19 appearances in Laliga.

Oihan Sancet – Athletic midfield goalkeeper

The threat of the main purpose of Athletic this season came from Oihan Sancet. Most operate in the role of advanced midfield, with a license to often make arrows to the penalty area, the 24-year-old player moved to 11 goals with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Girona last weekend.

Sancet on average one goal every 109 minutes at the top of Spain this season, with 28% of his surprising shot found the back of the net. He outperformed Kylian Mbappe, along with many other big names, in both metrics, with the 24 -year -old player playing the best football in his career until now.

“Oihan Sancet can do it. He has come out for a month because of an ankle injury and returning to the team, supporters and the purpose of printing are very important, “Valverde claimed after Saturday.

“With him on the ball, we are far more dangerous. He allowed us to attack a lot, he decided to athletic and his hat-trick was good news. I hope he continues like this. “

The threat of Sancet’s target has become a major factor in the ability of athletics to go 14 league matches without defeat, because of the 2-1 defeat in reverse equipment in Girona in October. If they only converted one of their three penalties that day, we would most likely talk about 19 unbeaten matches in LaLiga for Los Leones, equivalent to half a season.

Other players stepped into Valverde

Although there is still a little talks about athletics who are in the title of title, they are now only six points behind the Real Madrid leader they defeated in San Mames in December.

Apart from the extraordinary amount of Sancet, most of which have become the efforts of the team in the attacking front with Iñaki Williams and Alex Berenguer also enjoyed a good season.

Iñaki’s athletic heritage grows every year, and four European League goals to date, leaving his team in the best position to advance to the final of the potential city of birth that will be an unlike others in Bilbao.

Meanwhile Berenguer, perhaps one of the most underestimated LaLiga players, but with 16 starting in LaLiga this term, it seems that he slowly gains the trust of his coach.

In the back, Dani Vivian’s path has been comparable to Sancet’s. Only one year older than midfielder at the age of 25, it feels like the Vivian game has also risen to a different level this year, the main positive is not only athletic, but also Spain who handed over the central defender of the first eight international hats in 2024.

With Yeray Alvarez and Aitor Paredes, the two partners who are very capable for Vivian, Athletic is in a strong position in the central defense, while the sustainable development of a number of other young talents has ensured that the depth of the troops has not become a big problem.

What can Los Leones achieve this season?

The European League will definitely be a top priority for athletic when their campaign continues at the round of 16 in March.

While their league position will suggest the opposite, it is true that they sometimes struggle to find their usual intensity in the Laliga match immediately after the European match, winning only one of eight in such circumstances this season.

The record shows that athletics may suffer a few hiccups in the league, and most likely, they will end up competing with Villarreal for the 4th place, rather than with Barcelona and the Madrid club for 1.

Champions League qualifications are now a very realistic target, and it is still possible that Spain can get five of the four places, which will guarantee returning to the top table of Europe next season for the Valverde team.

For the first time since the 2018/19 campaign, Athletic was not in the Copa del Rey semifinals which would release several in the middle of the middle, so all things were considered, they had to be placed well enough to make a strong encouragement for silver in the European League, while maintaining the shape of the league worthy.

A glimpse of the remaining clubs in the competition, should not trigger real fear to the impressive athletic side.

Lazio is the only team that completed above them during the league phase, but seeding ensures that the two cannot meet until the final when athletics will effectively have a cage advantage.

Meanwhile, the challenges of English originated from Manchester United and Tottenham, are currently only ranked 13th and 14th in the Premier League. There is a possibility that the Round-16 reunion with a rival of the Roman League phase that can be complicated, but on the contrary, athletic seems to be in the lottery that is quite profitable, with their last four path that is not full of danger.

With Valverde measured at the top of the leadership, there is a few opportunities for anyone in San Mames who are too carried away, but their supporters can certainly look forward to the rest of the season with excitement, and sincere optimism.