Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Beñat Prados played no part in Athletic Bilbao’s second pre-season friendly at Sarriena, with head coach Edin Terzic travelling to Leioa with a 24-man squad that did not call upon either midfielder for a single minute, Mundo Deportivo report.
What happened at Sarriena
Both had featured in the midweek outing at Portugalete against Derio, so their absence from the XI – and from any substitute appearance – against Leioa was notable. The match ended 0-11 to Athletic, with forward Hierro, who came in to the squad in place of Maroan, scoring the final two goals late on.
Terzic made wholesale changes at half-time, overhauling his starting line-up entirely with one exception: Nacho Monreal, who completed the full ninety minutes, partnering Yeray in the first half and switching to play alongside Paredes after the interval. Gerenabarrena and Johaneko, who had not featured in the pre-season opener at La Florida, both played their first pre-season minutes and formed in the XI that the coach used in the first half.
Reading between the lines on Galarreta and Prados
The omission of two central midfielders on the same afternoon inevitably invites scrutiny, though the situations of the two players are markedly different. For Galarreta, his absence can be read simply as careful squad management in the early stages of pre-season.
Prados is a different conversation. With Oihan Sancet, Mikel Vesga and Unai Gómez also in the midfield picture, his usage across these opening friendlies will be watched by Athletic supporters looking for clues on the pecking order. Goalkeeper Simón García was also included in the travelling squad but did not feature. The coming pre-season fixtures will clarify whether both midfielders are reintegrated into Terzic’s plans or whether further movement comes in the squad.
Neither side information in the Mundo Deportivo report suggests what any future transfer window outcome will be for either player.
