The solid support of Athletic women

The season has started off on the right foot for Athletic's first women's team, with two victories out of two possible in the Primera Iberdrola. Those of Ángel Villacampa will try to maintain the positive series of results this coming Sunday, October 18, in Lezama against Real Betis Féminas (11.00 am).

To achieve these six points out of as many possible at stake, the youth squad of the rojiblanco team have played an important role, since In just two weeks Athletic has seen three new lionesses make their debut, Paula Arana, Sophie Istillart and Bibiane Schulze, and two of them are footballers trained in Lezama.

The one from Iparralde, from Girondins, arrived this summer to reinforce the midfield, while Paula and Bibiane arrived in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively, to compete in the zurigorri subsidiary.

The preseason has not been easy for Villacampa, who has had to work burdened by numerous casualties. Thus, after having a few youth squads during the summer in the preparation phase, the rojiblanco coach decided to give Arana minutes up front against Deportivo Abanca in the first league game and this past Sunday he placed Bibiane during the second half in the red-and-white defense against Sevilla.

In this way, with this latest debut, Athletic has reached the number of 100 players who have defended the red and white shirt in an official match, half of them coming from the red and white quarry.

According to the Bilbao club, In the last decade, a total of 47 footballers have debuted in the first team, of which 30 of them did so taking the step from the subsidiary. That is, more than 63% of the debutants have been forged in the second women's team.

The quarry, therefore, continues to bear fruit from competitiveness and training and nurtures the Primera team year after year. Last season, interrupted in March by the pandemic, three players from the Iraia Iturregi subsidiary had debuted: Amaiur Sarriegi, Irene Oguiza and Naroa Uriarte, the latter with a record of the first team today.

In the previous season, 2018-19, there were also three young women who made the leap hand in hand with Joseba Agirre: Nerea Nevado, Oihane Hernández and Oihane Valdezate.

In the 2017-18 campaign, none of the team's players came up, but they did in the previous one with the debuts of María Blanco, Andrea Sierra, Ane Azkona and Leyre Monente.

By the way, The rojiblanco subsidiary will debut at the Iberdrola Norte Challenge this coming Sunday at 4:00 p.m. at CE Seagull in Lezama. The league champions of last season will try to start the season on the right foot by welcoming the Badalona team at home.