Holidays are over for him Athletic. They meet again. Today begins the usual medical examinations that footballers must undergo before breaking a sweat with training in Lezama. The first session of the preseason under the orders of Marcelino It is scheduled for Wednesday, although some lions have gone ahead to fine-tune their set-up. It is the case of Raul Garcia. The Navarrese, who lost his status as undisputed in the final stretch of the previous year, returns ready to fight.
At the moment there are 33 players called up in the Bilbao squad. A number that does not decrease even though Marcelino He made it clear before the holidays that his wish was to work with a squad with a maximum of 20 or 21 outfield players. The only confirmed departure is that of Iñigo Vicente, loaned to Mirandés With Imanol Garcia de Albeniz.
Those who already were going to join, with the absence of a Iago Herrerín who ended his contract, plus nine new faces. But only one is a signing: Alex Petxarroman. They lived, Cordova Y Kodro they return to Athletic after their respective injuries and Agirrezabala, Meadows, Artola, Nico Serrano and Nico Williams they make the leap from the subsidiary.
In these first days it will be necessary to follow the evolutions of men like Capa, Yuri or Muniain, who finished the course injured. Like Nolaskoain, who could not play for a minute last season and will surely come out on loan. A path they could also follow Cordova Y Kodro. Both concluded the season in the dry dock. What seems forced is that the establishment must begin to lighten in July.
There will be 32 lions that will pass the medical tests from today, since Unai Simon is disputing the Eurocup and then he has an appointment with the Olympic Games. Football in Tokyo will take place between July 22 and August 7, so if Spain is planted in the fight for the medals, the goalkeeper would arrive just to start the League with the Athletic the weekend of August 14-15 in Elche.
The rojiblancos will carry out the first summer stage at home, but between the 16 and 24 of this month they have planned a concentration in Sankt Gallen (Switzerland). There they will play three friendlies. Marcelino I wanted powerful rivals and it will be. You will see the faces with the local set of the FC St. Gallen Saturday 17 and then the level will increase. On Tuesday 20 he will be measured with the Dynamo of Kiev and on Saturday the 24th, with the Borussia Dortmund. In addition, the Athletic will travel to Germany to face the 31st with the Union Berlin.