Anoeta derby offers fringe players a timely audition | OneFootball

Athletic face Real Sociedad at Anoeta on Friday in the Euskal Herria Txapela, kick-off 19:00. It is a friendly during the international break, yet it remains a derby neither side wants to lose.

According to El Correo, Athletic will be without Unai Simón, Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams, who play for Spain on Saturday in the Nations League against Czech Republic, plus Alex Padilla, called up by Mexico. Álvaro Djaló’s involvement is uncertain after featuring for Guinea-Bissau in the first two qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. International call-ups leave Athletic without five players and Real Sociedad nine.

The context hands chances to fringe players, with Edin Terzic and Pellegrino Matarazzo likely to assess those short of minutes. Dani Vivián could get a run-out, or his return may wait until after the break against Rayo. Maroan Sannadi, Alejandro Rego, Nico Serrano, Beñat Prados and Hugo Rincón are among those who could come in.

With Simón and Padilla absent, reserve goalkeeper Mikel Santos could start at Anoeta after training with the first team. The attack might fall to Sannadi. He played in five of eight pre-season friendlies, yet has only 69 league minutes, 30 against Sevilla and Alavés and nine against Elche.

Sannadi was set to start at Levante in the sixth round because of Gorka Guruzeta’s injury and Iñaki Williams’s discomfort, but the match was postponed due to weather and pitch conditions.

Source: El Correo

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