Athletic Club did not get their 2024-25 season off to a great start, as they dropped points at home to a depleted Getafe last Thursday. Ernesto Valverde’s side will be aiming to register their first victory of the campaign on Saturday when they travel to the Estadi Olimpic to take on Barcelona.

As things stand, Los Leones are set to continue with rookie goalkeeper Alex Padilla between the sticks for the match. The 20-year-old impressed against Getafe, but it’s expected that he will be relegated to the bench upon the return of Julen Agirrezabala, who will be no.1 in the absence of Unai Simon – the Euro 2024 is currently recovering after wrist surgery.

Agirrezabala's Return Boosts Athletic's Chances

As per Relevo, Agirrezabala has now returned to group training following his recovery from a back injury sustained during pre-season. All being well, he should be in contention to start against Barcelona – The same can be said for big-money signing Alvaro Djalo, who also missed the Getafe draw due to injury.

Athletic Club’s chances of pulling off an unlikely victory against Barcelona will be increased with Agirrezabala and Djalo available. For now, it remains to be seen whether they’re included in the matchday squad.

Valverde's Injury Concerns

Ernesto Valverde got some good news during the training session on pitch 1 at Lezama. Julen Agirrezabala joined the group for the first time since his injury on July 16 with a triple lumbar fracture. The Guipuzcoan did the warm-up exercises with the outfield players and then joined the goalkeeping drills with the other two goalkeepers, Alex Padilla and Oier Gastesi. Mikel Santos wasn't with the first team today as he's getting ready for Bilbao Athletic's debut against Andorra on Sunday.

The medical team at Athletic estimates that the Renteria native will need about a month to recover. He missed the league opener against Getafe last Thursday at San Mamés because he was playing for Mexico's under-23 team, but he might be back soon. We'll have to see how he progresses in the next few days. If not for this Saturday in Barcelona, he could be ready for the next match against Valencia on Wednesday, August 28, at home.

Another piece of good news is about Álvaro Djaló. The player signed from Braga couldn't play against the Madrid team due to a muscle injury he got in a friendly against Aston Villa on August 7. Today, he trained with his teammates for at least fifteen minutes in front of the media. The winger might be ready to be included in the squad that Valverde picks to play against the Catalan team at the Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuïc.

However, Aitor Paredes and Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta don't seem to be available. Like in previous days, they didn't train outside Lezama with only three days left before the second day of the League. On a positive note, De Marcos will be able to debut this season after recovering from the lumbago that kept him out of the last game. Txingurri also has to deal with the long-term absence of Unai Simón, who had surgery on his right wrist and isn't expected back until the end of the year.

Aitor Paredes' Recovery

Aitor Paredes hopes for a quick recovery - “It's not too serious,” - while acknowledging the importance of Galarreta: “He started training with the team, but some minor discomfort arose, leading to his absence. The goal is to get him back as soon as possible because he's a crucial player for us. We saw that last season, the impact he had. Not going through pre-season always requires an adjustment period to get back into the team for competition, especially after an injury mid-season.”

Athletic Bilbao's Key Players

The full list of players, including De Marcos, who will miss the match against Madrid due to lumbago, is Agirrezabala, Padilla, Gastesi, Gorosabel, Vivian, Yeray, Vesga, Berenguer, Sancet, Iñaki Williams, Nico Williams, Guruzeta, Lekue, Yuri, De Marcos, Martón, Unai Gómez, Ander Herrera, Adu Ares, Prados, Egiluz, Jauregizar and Adama.

The team has two more training sessions ahead of them before facing Hansi Flick's team, who are coming off a comeback win against Valencia. The Lions will train tomorrow and the day after in the morning (10:30) before heading to Barcelona on Friday afternoon.

A Look Ahead: Barcelona Showdown

Athletic Bilbao's upcoming match against Barcelona is a pivotal one for both sides. Athletic will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing start to the season, while Barcelona will be aiming to continue their strong start under Hansi Flick.

With the return of key players like Agirrezabala and Djalo, Athletic have a chance to pull off an upset. However, Barcelona are a formidable opponent and will be looking to make a statement on their home turf. This match is sure to be a thrilling encounter, and the result could have major implications for both teams in the upcoming season.

The match between Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona is set to be a hotly contested affair. With the return of key players and the high stakes involved, this match is one that fans will not want to miss.