Athletic Club Veterans Say Farewell to Squad Prior to Final Showdown with Real Madrid

Two long-serving stalwarts of Athletic Club’s defensive line bid an emotional farewell to their teammates as they prepare to depart the club ahead of their final clash against Real Madrid.

Mikel Balenziaga, a 35-year-old versatile full-back, has dedicated his entire professional career to Athletic Club, except for short stints at Real Sociedad, Numancia, and Real Valladolid early on. Balenziaga has been a consistent presence in the squad, accumulating over 1,500 minutes of playing time in each season except the current one. Unfortunately, this season he has only managed 127 minutes and four appearances, and with his contract expiring, he will be leaving the team. Throughout his time at Athletic, Balenziaga has made a remarkable 321 appearances, contributing with one goal and thirteen assists.

Joining Balenziaga in bidding farewell is Inigo Martinez, a 32-year-old center-back who has been linked with a potential move to Barcelona. Martinez joined Athletic from Real Sociedad in 2017 and has made 117 appearances for the club. However, injuries have plagued his campaign this season. Like Balenziaga, Martinez is also out of contract, marking the end of his tenure with Athletic.

According to reports from Diario AS, the departing duo shared a heartfelt goodbye dinner with their teammates on Wednesday, marking the end of an era.

Athletic Club still has one final task ahead of them this season – defeating Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. A victory in this crucial match, coupled with Osasuna’s failure to win, could potentially secure a Conference League spot for Los Leones and grant them European football for the first time since 2016. It would be a fitting send-off for Balenziaga, Martinez, and the entire squad as they strive for one last triumph before the season concludes.