The Athletic coach, Ernesto Valverde, has announced the call-up
for tomorrow's match against Alavés at Mendizorrotza (9:00 pm). The list includes 23 players, all of whom are available. The exception is the injured Nico Williams and Peru Nolaskoain.
Unai Simón, Julen Agirrezabala, Óscar de Marcos, Iñigo Lekue, Yeray Álvarez, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Yuri Berchiche, Imanol García de Albéniz, Beñat Prados, Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Mikel Vesga, Ander Herrera, Dani García, Iker Muniain, Oihan Sancet, Unai Gómez, Álex Berenguer, Iñaki Williams, Adu Ares, Gorka Guruzeta, Asier Villalibre and Raúl García are among those travelling to Gasteiz with options to play.
Since Athletic is facing three matches in nine days - tomorrow's match against Alavés, next Wednesday's match against Getafe, and Friday 30th's match against Real Sociedad - it remains to be seen whether the Bilbao team's coach will make rotations or stick with the players who started against Cádiz, which were Simón, De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri, Ruiz de Galarreta, Vesga, Sancet, Iñaki Williams, Berenguer and Guruzeta. "Where there could be more problems in terms of tiredness is when there is little time for recovery. But that will come later. Now we have to focus on tomorrow's match," Valverde said about the possibility of rotating.
It is worth noting that Yeray, coming off the bench, played his first minutes against Cádiz three and a half months after undergoing groin surgery. Valverde may choose to give him his first start of the season as a central defender.
Meanwhile, Nico Williams will be absent as he continues to recover from his mild-moderate injury to the medial adductor of his right leg, and Nolaskoain remains sidelined due to the sprain in the lateral collateral ligament of his right knee suffered last August.