"I'd rather be relegated than change the Basque-only policy."Athletic Bilbao fan in the November issue of FourFourTwo
before a match against Real Sociedad
While the news from the Bernabeu yesterday was of Real Madrid's comeback and climb to within a point of Barcelona, there was another story just below the surface. As Sid Lowe tells us, the Real fans knew what it was as they serenaded their traveling counterparts with a passionately sung "A Segunda, oe! A Segunda, oe!".
One of the most famous clubs in the world, Athletic Bilbao, is under threat of going down to the Spanish Segunda for the first time in club history. After the weekend's matches, Athletic find themselves in 18th place with eight points from thirteen games. Five draws and only one win (bottom club Gimnastic de Tarragona) has left the Basque side reeling. According to Lowe, getting out og the drop zone will be anything but easy.
New coach Jose Manuel Esnal is tasked with doing a job that could ultimately prove fruitless. To make matters worse, news from the club today confirms that one of the team's best players, Spanish international Pablo Orbaiz, will miss the rest of the season after injuring his right knee.
In the end, it's quite a shame that the "Basque-only" team from Bilbao just might be going down this season. Along with Chivas of Guadalajara, Athletic are one of the last bastions of pure provincialism at the top level. While Chivas has enjoyed a spectacular run to the Mexican league final, Esnal inherits a team that has given up an astonishing 24 goals in 13 games.
With 76% of Athletic fans in favor of the club's homegrown policy (1990 El Mundo newspaper survey), it makes you wonder if never having been sent down to the second division has made the club's supporters immune to the thought that it could actually happen. After all this time, this might be the year we find out.
Brazilian boys save Real Madrid [Eurosport]
Are Bilbao about to bow out? [Guardian SportBlog]
Orbaiz blow for Athletic [UEFA official site]
-ac
before a match against Real Sociedad
While the news from the Bernabeu yesterday was of Real Madrid's comeback and climb to within a point of Barcelona, there was another story just below the surface. As Sid Lowe tells us, the Real fans knew what it was as they serenaded their traveling counterparts with a passionately sung "A Segunda, oe! A Segunda, oe!".
One of the most famous clubs in the world, Athletic Bilbao, is under threat of going down to the Spanish Segunda for the first time in club history. After the weekend's matches, Athletic find themselves in 18th place with eight points from thirteen games. Five draws and only one win (bottom club Gimnastic de Tarragona) has left the Basque side reeling. According to Lowe, getting out og the drop zone will be anything but easy.
New coach Jose Manuel Esnal is tasked with doing a job that could ultimately prove fruitless. To make matters worse, news from the club today confirms that one of the team's best players, Spanish international Pablo Orbaiz, will miss the rest of the season after injuring his right knee.
In the end, it's quite a shame that the "Basque-only" team from Bilbao just might be going down this season. Along with Chivas of Guadalajara, Athletic are one of the last bastions of pure provincialism at the top level. While Chivas has enjoyed a spectacular run to the Mexican league final, Esnal inherits a team that has given up an astonishing 24 goals in 13 games.
With 76% of Athletic fans in favor of the club's homegrown policy (1990 El Mundo newspaper survey), it makes you wonder if never having been sent down to the second division has made the club's supporters immune to the thought that it could actually happen. After all this time, this might be the year we find out.
Brazilian boys save Real Madrid [Eurosport]
Are Bilbao about to bow out? [Guardian SportBlog]
Orbaiz blow for Athletic [UEFA official site]
-ac
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