this athletic bilbao traveled to martínez valero stadium to face elche cf on sunday at 16 15 in a game that followed the disappointment of yesterday’s result at san mamés where espanyol took a 0-1 win. the basque club began the new campaign with a strong early surge, racking up seven points from the first three fixtures after drawing with mallorca, securing a 1-0 victory over valencia, and hammering cadiz 4-0. the positive start set an energetic tone as the season kicked into high gear, highlighting the team’s ambition to challenge the top spots in la liga while building cohesion across the squad.
for the elche clash, athletic bilbao’s coach ernest valverde faced several last minute squad considerations. yerry and andrew herrera remained among the unavailables due to illness and muscle soreness respectively, complicating the coach’s selection options. herrera, a recent returnee from paris saint germain, has not yet made his presence felt on the field after his fitness issues, leaving valverde to manage midfield balance without his immediate contribution. the absence of key personalities in the engine room required careful planning to preserve the team’s structure while managing the workload across the frontline and defense.
on the left side of defense, the absence of yuri berchiche and mikel balenciaga translated into adjustments that would see the right back justin lekue tasked with occupying the left flank. this tactical tweak aimed to maintain width and attacking potential while the back line reorganizes around a central axis. the anticipated core of the defense saw inigo martinez stepping into a leading role alongside ivan vivian, with the pair providing a more compact shield in front of unai simón. this reshuffle underscores valverde’s willingness to recalibrate the back four to sustain solidity against elche’s attacking ideas while keeping the rest of the team aligned with the game plan.
the starting line-up that could line up against elche features unai simón guarding the goal, with david de marcos and yeray lining up as defenders on the near side and the central duo of inigo martinez and lekue forming the defensive spine. in the middle, vecga and sancet form the double pivot, ensuring a balanced distribution of play between defense and attack. on the flanks, berenguer and muniain look to supply width and creativity, while raul garcia and inaki williams pair up to lead the attack. the coach also has a bench of impactful options ready should he decide to alter the attacking profile, with williams possibly shifting to the right wing if a change in the front line becomes necessary during the contest.