Barakaldo to go it alone after Athletic collaboration ends | OneFootball

Barakaldo have ended their two-decade collaboration with Athletic after talks to renew the agreement expired on 30 June. From 1 July the Biscayan club will operate independently.

According to El Correo, the clubs negotiated in recent weeks without success. Barakaldo viewed Athletic’s financial proposal as insufficient, while Ibaigane resisted offering different terms to other Bizkaia teams.

With no counteroffer, Barakaldo consider talks closed and are open to approaches from other clubs, or from Athletic if it improves its terms. The situation is rare in Bizkaia, where most leading sides sit under Athletic’s umbrella, which pays by division, supplies loans and enjoys priority in recruitment.

Relations had cooled after Athletic signed Aymane Jelbat in 2023 and Endika Buján in 2024 for their B team, in the same division, while sending several loans to Lasesarre. The flashpoint was Maroan Sannadi’s signing on 1 February 2025, two days before the window shut, when he was on loan at Barakaldo from Deportivo Alavés. No replacement arrived, Barakaldo went from second-best at halfway to relegation form thereafter, and there were no Lezama loans last season.

Three weeks ago, head coach Imanol de la Sota said he did not expect help from Athletic and, as a club member, would prefer stronger backing for Bizkaia’s football.

Athletic president Jon Uriarte called the remark very harsh, said supporting Bizkaia’s game does not mean favouring one club to reach Segunda, and added he still hoped an agreement could be reached but would wish Barakaldo well if not. Neither side shifted, ending a partnership of about 20 years.

Source: El Correo