The Athletic Bilbao Courier
Match19 Sep 2026
The longest week starts now for Athletic Bilbao
Beaten 0‑1 by Real Sociedad in the one fixture that is never just a fixture. Work, school, the corner shop — there will be no getting away from this one.
Player ratings21 Sep 2026
Nobody could get near Álex Berenguer
Successful dribbles: 26. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Match19 Sep 2026
4 matches without a win for Athletic Bilbao
The run now stands at 4, and the questions being asked around Athletic Bilbao are no longer polite ones.
Squad21 Sep 2026
Tempers go at Athletic Bilbao
Unai Simón was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad21 Sep 2026
No hiding place for Jesús Areso
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Jesús Areso, and the manager let it.
Squad21 Sep 2026
Words at Athletic Bilbao training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Andoni Gorosabel is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
In brief
- Squad A smaller club would suit Beñat Prados now
- Player ratings Dani Vivian spends the afternoon fouling