It was never really in doubt. After Athletic Bilbao finally snatched fourth place away from Villarreal around the middle of the season, it was clear they wouldn’t relinquish it easily.
Ernesto Valderde’s team combined discipline at the back with dynamism going forward and their attacking flair was a joy to see all year. Athletic’s strong home record was also quite impressive, as the new San Mames seems set to be a fortress in the foreseeable future. On the pitch the play was fantastic. Iker Muniain finally appears to be living up to his promise while Markel Susatea and Ander Herrera both had excellent campaigns, with the latter truly standing out and proving his worth after the mini-transfer saga involving Manchester United last summer.
Surprisingly, their big summer singing of Benat from Real Betis didn’t really pan out as the highly -rated midfielder struggled to adapt. In his place it was yet another Basque star in the making, Ander Iturraspe,who stole the show, commanding the midfield alongside Mikel Rico while doing his best Javi Martinez impression. His performances earned him something of a surprise call-up to Vicente Del Bosque’s preliminary World Cup squad, though those who have seen him play know he has the quality.
At the back the birth of another star was crucial to Atheltic’s rise. Aymeric Laporte, the 20-year-old Frenchman, showed maturity and poise beyond his years. Bilbao may struggle to keep him, however, as he’s drawn the wandering eye of Europe’s top clubs but should he stay for another season, it will bode well for their Champions League hopes.
Athletic were one of the most exciting teams throughout the campaign but they have to be wary of falling into a second-year slump as their Basque neighbours Real Sociedad did this year, after their fourth-place finish the year before. But if Athletic can hold onto their major players and add some depth, the sky is the limit.
