Sancet shining as Athletic go from strength to strength

Athletic Club headed into the 2024/25 season in good spirits following their best league campaign in a decade, and first major trophy in 40 years after winning the Copa del Rey.

Back in Europe for the first time in seven seasons, handily enough in the same year the Europa League final would head to Bilbao, there were some pretty basic narratives that dictated most pre-season expectations in Bizkaia.

One was that the demands of competing in an expanded Europa League would put a real strain on a squad that was never going to have significant quality added to it, given the club’s long-standing recruitment policy. 

The other was that Nico Williams, fresh from a brilliant Euro 2024, would be the absolute linchpin in attack and the player most likely to catapult them towards another successful campaign.

As it has turned out, neither of those things have been entirely true. Athletic’s squad has mostly held up well to the demands of playing twice per week, with a 2nd place finish in the league phase of the Europa League. Meanwhile, they are currently 4th in LaLiga with 15 games to go, averaging 1.91 points per game, their highest figure since the introduction of three points for a win in the 1990s.

They’d have certainly settled for that at San Mames back in August, but they’d also have assumed that such a situation would have meant that Nico Williams, rated as one of the hottest young prospects in Europe, would have been enjoying the season of his life.

Curiously, that hasn’t been the case, and while Nico remains a very important player for Ernesto Valverde, he’ll be disappointed with a return of just one goal and three assists in 19 appearances in LaLiga.

Oihan Sancet – Athletic’s midfield goal machine

Athletic’s chief goal threat this season has come from Oihan Sancet. Mostly operating in an advanced midfield role, with licence to make frequent darts into the penalty area, the 24-year-old moved onto 11 goals with a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Girona last weekend.

Sancet averages a goal every 109 minutes in the Spanish top flight this term, with a staggering 28% of his shots finding the back of the net. He’s outperforming Kylian Mbappe, along with many other big name forwards, in both metrics, with the 24-year-old playing the best football of his career to date.

“Oihan Sancet can do it. He has been out for a month due to his ankle injury and getting back to the team, the supporters and scoring goals is essential” claimed Valverde following Saturday’s game.

“With him on the ball, we are much more dangerous. He allows us to attack a lot, he is decisive for Athletic and his hat-trick is great news. I hope he continues like this.”

Sancet’s goal threat has been a major factor in Athletic’s ability to go 14 league games without defeat, since a 2-1 loss in the reverse fixture at Girona in October. Had they converted just one of their three penalties that day, we’d most likely be talking about a 19-game unbeaten run in LaLiga for Los Leones, the equivalent of half a season.

The other players stepping up for Valverde

While there is still little talk of Athletic being in the title race, they are now only six points behind leaders Real Madrid who they beat at San Mames in December.

Aside from Sancet whose numbers are exceptional, it has largely been a team effort on the attacking front with Iñaki Williams and Alex Berenguer also both enjoying good seasons. 

Iñaki’s Athletic legacy grows with each passing year, and his four Europa League goals to date, leaves his side in the best possible position to advance to a potential hometown final which would be an occasion like no other in Bilbao.

Berenguer meanwhile, is perhaps one of LaLiga’s most underrated players, but with 16 starts in LaLiga this term, it appears he is slowly gaining the trust of his coach.

At the back, Dani Vivian’s trajectory has been comparable to that of Sancet’s. Just one year older than the midfielder at 25, it feels like Vivian’s game has also gone to a different level this year, a major positive for not only Athletic, but also Spain who handed the centre-back his first eight international caps in 2024.

With Yeray Alvarez and Aitor Paredes both very capable partners for Vivian, Athletic are in a strong position in central defence, while the continued development of a number of other young talents has ensured that squad depth has not been a major issue.

What can Los Leones achieve this season?

The Europa League is inevitably going to be a major priority for Athletic when their campaign resumes at the round-of-16 stage in March.

While their league position would suggest otherwise, it is true that they have at times struggled to find their usual intensity in LaLiga matches immediately following European fixtures, winning just one out of eight in such circumstances this season.

That record suggests Athletic may suffer a few more hiccups in the league, and in all likelihood, they will end up competing with Villarreal for 4th place, rather than with Barcelona and the Madrid clubs for 1st. 

Champions League qualification is now a very realistic target, and it remains possible that Spain could get five rather than four places, which would all but guarantee a return to Europe’s top table next season for Valverde’s side.

For the first time since the 2018/19 campaign, Athletic are not in the Copa del Rey semi-finals which will free up a couple of midweeks, so all things considered, they should be quite well placed to make a strong push for silverware in the Europa League, whilst maintaining decent league form.

A quick glance through the clubs left in that competition, should not spark any real fear into this impressive Athletic side.

Lazio were the only team to finish above them during the league phase, but seeding ensures the two cannot meet until the final when Athletic would effectively have home advantage.

Meanwhile, the English challenge comes from Manchester United and Tottenham, currently only ranked 13th and 14th in the Premier League. There is the possibility of a round-of-16 reunion with league phase rivals Roma which could be tricky, but otherwise, Athletic appear to be in a fairly favourable section of the draw, with their path to the last four not fraught with danger.

With the measured Valverde at the helm, there is little chance of anyone at San Mames getting too carried away just yet, but their supporters can certainly afford to look ahead to the remainder of the season with excitement, and a genuine sense of optimism.