Athletic finish in Girona without a Bizkaian on the pitch | OneFootball

Athletic finished in Girona without a Bizkaian on the pitch, an unusually rare sight, El Correo reports.

It happened when Izeta came on as the final change on minute 80 for captain Iñaki Williams, leaving the side without representation from Bizkaia.

The starting XI did include locals, two from Bizkaia, two from Álava, three from Gipuzkoa and two from Navarra, alongside the Frenchman Aymeric Laporte and the Catalan Robert Navarro.

By full time the mix was three from Álava, four from Gipuzkoa, three from Navarra and Laporte, with no Bizkaians on the field.

The squad currently has nine players born in Bizkaia, Aitor Paredes, Yeray Álvarez, who is awaiting his doping ban, Unai Egiluz, Iñigo Lekue, Jauregizar, Unai Gómez, Beñat Prados, Rego and Iñaki Williams.

Such scenes are exceptional. The only time the club began a game with no Bizkaian in the XI was on 4 March 2011 at La Romareda against Real Zaragoza, when Joaquín Caparrós named five from Navarra and four from Gipuzkoa, plus the Riojan Fernando Llorente and the Alavés Gaizka Toquero.

More recently, in February 2023 at San Mamés against Cádiz, Yeray Álvarez was the only Bizkaian in the starting line-up.

Source: El Correo