Bryan Gil and Alejandro Pozo 'enrolled' last October 5, on the last day to close the deadline, at the prestigious 'University' of José Luis Mendilibar. The Eibar coach, who has taught football classes on numerous 'campuses', Lanzarote, Eibar, Bilbao, Valladolid, Pamplona (Osasuna), Valencia (Levante) and, again, Eibar, is a specialist in advancing young football talents. And the two players, on loan from Sevilla, agreed to submit to the teachings of the 'teacher' from Zaldibar. The sports director of the Sevilla club, Ramón Rodríguez 'Monchi', was clear that the best place for the two homegrown players to learn the trade was in Ipurua, next to a coach who squeezes, but does not drown, his students.
The Barça 'springboard' has sent many players to higher categories or to clubs with more aspirations, such as Joan Jordán. The Catalan midfielder, after tanning in Ipurua, signed for Sevilla in the summer of 2019, and has already helped the Sevillians to qualify for the Champions League and to be champions of the Europa League in a magnificent 2019-2020 season. That was one of the reasons why 'Monchi' recommended Bryan Gil and Pozo to study in Ipurua. Both are following in the footsteps of other young footballers who progressed and gained strength in the squads trained by the Zaldibar coach.
Unlike Oxford or Cambridge, at the 'University' of Mendilibar you have to 'kneel your elbows', but not before books, but on top of the green, the grass. The coach of the Gipuzkoan First Division team is very demanding on a day-to-day basis, because the exams (the matches) must be prepared in advance during the weekly work. And since Mendilibar is based on the idea that 'you play as you train', the preparatory sessions for the Eibarreses are very intense, there is no place for relaxation. And is that to compete, Eibar footballers must make much more physical effort than their rivals, generally superior in technical quality, and more decisive when scoring goals. The economic modesty of the Eibar club, which represents a city of 27,000 inhabitants, prevents it from having more sought-after and expensive players, which are unreachable. Those deficiencies must be filled with more courage, struggle, fight, and concentration. There can be no oversights in the highest category, in which mistakes pay dearly.
Bryan Gil is the most outstanding current 'student'
Left winger Bryan Gil, 19, is the most outstanding student, the most unbalanced in attack, a footballer with a 'duende'. The under-21 international is doing an accelerated 'master' with Eibar de Mendilibar. His self-confidence when attacking, facing the opponent in the 'one to one', and his speed, they hurt the rivals. With his left leg, he also takes good centers from corners or fouls. I already had these powers when debuted at Sevilla 2018-2019, at the age of 17, against Atlético de Madrid at the Sánchez Pizjuán on January 6, 2019. And he also showed them in the second round of the 2019-2020 season, when he was on loan in a Leganés that struggled to avoid relegation, although that circumstance meant that could not bring out its full potential, which is now showing.
Also, Bryan Gil is learning to defend, because in the Gipuzkoan team, when you do not have the ball, you have to pressure your opponent throughout the field to recover the ball as soon as possible. And there are no exceptions, in Mendilibar's team, the first defenders are the forwards. This lesson in humility is important for young athletes to learn, and the Zaldibar coach is now instilling it in the promise born in Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), but raised in Barbate (Cádiz). As he did a decade and a half ago to the Canarian David Silva (now at Real Sociedad), the most advanced student that the 59-year-old Basque coach has had.
As a result of his good role, Bryan Gil appears in the 'Golden Eleven' of the year 2020, chosen by the Football Draft technical committee (a body made up of different institutions, RFEF, La Liga, AFE, CSD and AEAF), which recognizes to the young talents of Spanish football, and which also includes Ansu Fati, Ferrán Torres, Eric García, and Pedri González.
Pozo, a versatile footballer for the right wing
Alejandro Pozo, aged 21, is a versatile footballer who moves in various areas of the right wingto. He is one of the captains – along with Marc Cucurella of the U21 team. The right winger made his debut at the age of 17 in the Second Division with Sevilla Atlético, a Sevilla subsidiary. Without playing in an official match with the Seville first team, he was loaned to Granada (2018-2019), in the Second Division (he achieved promotion to First with the Nasrid). His good role helped him to debut in the First Division, curiously with a defeat defending the Sevilla 2019-2020 shirt coached by Julen Lopetegui against Eibar in Ipurua (3-2) on September 26, 2019. Although a week before he played with the Hispanics in the Europa League against Qarabag (0-3) in Baku (Azerbaijan), in which it was his official premiere, as well as that of Joan Jordán. In the second round of the 2019-2020 campaign, he was loaned to Mallorca, which was fighting for permanence -without being able to avoid relegation-, where he acted as a side defender.
This versatility is what caught Mendilibar's attention, and the Barça sports director (Fran Garagarza), who opted for both Alejandro Pozo and Bryan Gil, and waited until the last day when he could make signings. So far, Pozo is playing as a Barça player in two different positions, far right and winger. Against Real Sociedad last Sunday, the footballer from Huévar del Aljarafe (Seville), started as a winger; but the injury to Rober Correa, who was substituted at half-time, made Mendilibar change his plans. Thus, he delayed Pozo to the side, to enter the Japanese Takashi Inui. With the Japanese winger and Sergi Enrich, who also entered the Reale Arena turf before resuming the second half and scored the tying goal, Eibar managed to level an adverse result (1-1).
Students who have progressed with Mendilibar
David Silva
At the age of 18, he was loaned to Eibar (2004-2005), in the Second Division, by Valencia. The midfielder or left winger, who until then had acted in the Ché subsidiary (Mestalla) in Second B, stood out from the beginning in the Gipuzkoan team, which fought until the last day for promotion to the First Division, without succeeding. As a Barça player, the Canarian left-hander played with 3 different teams (under-19, under-20, and under-21) in the same 2004-2005 season. In the following campaign he made his debut in First with Celta, then returned to Valencia (he won a Copa del Rey) and with the Ché team he reached the absolute team (125 games and 35 goals), being world champion in South Africa 2010 (with Vicente Del Forest coach of Spain), and twice European champion in 2008 (with Luis Aragonés) and 2012. He made the move to English football, winning four Premier League titles with Manchester City, and acting in the Champions League. Now he has returned to First with the Real Sociedad.
Diego Costa
At the age of 20, the Spanish-Brazilian striker made his debut with Valladolid (2009-2010) of Mendilibar in the First Division). They shared only a few months, because the Zaldibar coach was fired after matchday 20, and replaced by Onésimo Sánchez, who in turn was relieved by Javier Clemente. Despite the two changes on the bench, the Castilians dropped to the Second Division. In the 2010-2011 campaign, the striker already played for Atlético de Madrid (he has been league champions, Copa del Rey, Europa League, and European Super Cup), and later with Chelsea he also contributed to winning the English Premier League. He later returned to Atlético.
Pedro Leon Sanchez
The Murcian midfielder was 22 years old when they crossed paths with Mendilibar at Valladolid (2008-2009). Later, he went to Getafe, was transferred to Real Madrid (2010-2011) – he won a Copa del Rey with Mourinho as coach and played in the Champions League – and returned to Getafe. After the relegation of the azulones to the Second Division in 2016, he answered the call of the Zaldibar coach to play for Eibar (2016-2017), where he is already one of the veterans. Last Thursday, with the Barça captain's armband, that of Mula (Murcia) scored the two goals that allowed the Gipuzkoans to win in the Rioja town of Haro against Racing Rioja (0-2) and qualify for the second round of the Copa del King). Pedro León thus thanked Mendilibar for his trust, who always has the services of a diligent 'student', whose injuries have harmed him in sports in recent years.
Joan Jordan
The Girona midfielder was trained in the Espanyol quarry, with which he made his debut at the age of 20 in the First Division in a Espanyol-Sevilla (1-2) in Cornellá-El Prat with Sergio as coach 'perico' on August 30, 2014. Then , did not have much continuity, so he was loaned to Valladolid 2016-2017, in the Second Division, where he stood out. Eibar signed him then (he paid a million euros), acting for 2 seasons under Mendilibar (2017-2018 and 2018-2019). In the summer of 2019, he was transferred for about 14 million to Sevilla, where he is a fundamental piece for their coach, Julen Lopetegui. Together they conquered the Europa League in the 2019-2020 campaign, in which they also qualified for the Champions League thanks to a creditable fourth place in the league (in addition to being European champions).
Marc Cucurella
The left-handed footballer started in the Espanyol quarry before joining the Barcelona cadet team. In the Can Barça discipline he arrived at the subsidiary as a lateral defender, a position in which Jordi Alba blocked his way in the Culé team. Although he made his debut with Barcelona, at the age of 19, in a Copa del Rey match against Murcia (0-3) at the Nueva Condomina Stadium on October 24, 2017, he continued at Barcelona B, both in the Second Division and the Second Division. B. Thus, at the age of 20, he arrived on loan to Eibar 2018-2019. Initially, he was a substitute, because José Ángel 'Cote' Valdés was the undisputed left-back. But Mendilibar changed his position (left-handed winger) in a historic match for the Gipuzkoans, since Eibar beat Real Madrid for the first time (3-0) led by Solari, which unleashed the madness of the Barça fans that packed Ipurua on November 24, 2018. Thanks to his good role as a left-handed winger, Getafe 2019-2020 signed him to Barcelona (previously Eibar had exercised his right to purchase, but the Catalan club bought him back by paying more money). With the Madrid team, coached by José Bordalás, he played in the Europa League and has become the captain of the U21 team (he has alternated the bracelet with Alejandro Pozo). The selector of the 'rojita', Luis de la Fuente, takes advantage of his versatility, because he sometimes aligns him on the left end, and sometimes on the side (this allows Bryan Gil to act as a winger).
Sergio Asenjo
He was 17 years old when Mendilibar gave him the opportunity to play the Palencia goalkeeper at Valladolid 2006-2007, in a Copa del Rey match against Gimnàstic de Tarragona (1-0) at Nuevo Zorrilla on October 25, 2006. After to go up to First the pucelanos, in the 2007-2008 season Sergio Asenjo made his debut in the top flight with a victory (2-0) defending the goal of Valladolid against Villarreal -his current team- at Nuevo Zorrilla on December 2, 2007 He signed for Atlético de Madrid (2009-2010), where he spent 4 seasons (in between he was at Málaga 2010-2011), in which he performed little, although he achieved 2 Europa League with the 'colchoneros'. He has been with Villarreal since the 2013-2014 campaign, and with Castellón he became an absolute international.
Nacho monreal
Mendilibar also helped boost the left-back defender at Osasuna 2010-2011, when the Zaldibar manager mid-season relieved Camacho. By then, the Navarrese left-hander (aged 24) had been international. Then, he signed for Málaga (2011-2012 and 2012-2013), giving his career a great turn by going to English Arsenal (2012-2013), where he spent 8 seasons, and played in the Champions League and the Europa League. In the summer of 2019 he returned close to home, to Real Sociedad.
Gorka Iraizoz
The Navarrese goalkeeper was on loan to Eibar (2004-2005) and his good role allowed him to be re-caught by his club, Espanyol (2005-2006), winning a Copa del Rey and playing the UEFA Cup. A few years later, the Navarrese goalkeeper signed for Athletic Club), playing the Champions League and the Europa League with Bilbao.
Dani Cifuentes
The Madrid right-back defender coincided with Mendilibar at Lanzarote (2003-2004) in Second B, then the Zaldibar player brought him to Eibar (2004-2005), in Second Division. And after parting their ways, because the Madrilenian went to Real Sociedad, Mendilibar called him again for Valladolid after having achieved promotion to the First Division with the pucelanos (2007-2008 and 2008-2009).
Florian Lejeune
After playing in France, the French central defender, in 2011 he signed for Villarreal, with whom he made his debut in the First Division, but then he hardly had any chances. In 2014 he ended up at Girona, in the Second Division. After two good campaigns in the Catalan club, he came to Eibar 2016-2017 with Mendilibar, who did give him continuity in the highest category. The Parisian took good advantage of the Barça 'springboard', because he was transferred to English Newcastle in the summer of 2017 for 10 million euros. After 3 seasons in the Premier League he has returned on loan to Alavés 2020-2021.
Ander Capa
The Portuguese arrived at the Eibar subsidiary (Eibar B), from the Third Division with Gaizka Garitano. Together they went to the first team in the 2012-203 campaign, in Second B, achieving two promotions in two consecutive seasons (in 2013 to Second Division and in 2014 to First). He made his debut in the highest category with Garitano (both now coincide at Athletic Club). After the departure of the Derio de Ipurua coach at the end of the historic 2014-2015 exercise, Capa suffered a change in his football career. He had almost always acted as a right winger, but with Mendilibar from the 2015-2016 campaign he began to play as a lateral defense (Mendilibar reconverted him for 'needs of the script). He did so well in his new position that, some time later, Barcelona requested his loan for a second league round, but Eibar, who did not have guaranteed permanence and did not need the money, did not lend to a player that Mendilibar needed to achieve the goal. Years later, he was transferred to Athletic Club, whose shirt he defends acting as a right-back from the 2018-2019 exercise.
Borja Baston
Borja González Tomás, known as Borja Bastón, was trained in the Atlético de Madrid quarry, with which he made his debut in the First Division at 17 years old, with the bad luck that he was injured in his premiere. From then on, it was loaned to 4 Second Division teams (Murcia, Huesca, Deportivo de La Coruña, and Zaragoza). His career as a center forward was relaunched at the 2015-2016 Eibar in Mendilibar, as he scored 18 goals in the First Division, thanks to his finishing success and the help of Sergi Enrich. Atlético profited from its good role in Ipurua, because in the summer of 2016 they transferred it to English Swansea City for 18 million euros, playing in the Premier League. However, he was later loaned to Málaga and Alavés. He returned to England to Aston Villa, and last summer he returned to Madrid, to Leganés 2020-2021, in Second.
Dani Garcia
He arrived at Eibar 2012-203, in Second B, with Gaizka Garitano as coach. Together they achieved two promotions in two consecutive seasons (in 2013 to Second Division and in 2014 to First). He made his debut in the highest category with Garitano (both now coincide at Athletic Club). After the departure of the Derio de Ipurua coach at the end of the historic 2014-2015 exercise, at the beginning the Zumárraga coach thought that he was not going to adapt to Mendilibar's plans, who asked him to press up on rivals (he was used to being a midfielder who acted further behind). After two weeks he told his representative to find him equipment, because he did not adapt. But he finally ended up doing it, being a fundamental piece in Eibar de Mendilibar during the three seasons in which they coincided in Ipurua. Since the 2018-2019 campaign, he has played for Athletic Club after finishing his contract as a Barça player.
Ruben Peña
The man from Avila made his debut in the First Division at Valladolid 2012-2013, at the age of 21. After passing through Guijuelo and Leganés, in the Second Division (he achieved promotion to First), he arrived at Eibar 2016-2017. Although he started playing right winger with Mendilibar, he eventually performed better as a right back. In the summer of 2019 he was transferred to Villarreal.
Gaizka Garitano
The Derio midfielder was 29 years old when he coincided with Mendilibar at Eibar 2004-2005 in the Second Division. Later, the Barça captain made the jump to First with Real Sociedad (he suffered a relegation to Second Division with Donostia), and ended his career as a footballer at Alavés.