Athletic Bilbao pre-season: Galarreta and Prados omitted from Sarriena friendly
Athletic Bilbao pre-season: Galarreta and Prados omitted from Sarriena friendly as Terzic rotates a 24-man squad, raising questions over midfield roles.
Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Beñat Prados did not feature in Athletic Bilbao’s second pre-season friendly at Sarriena, a decision that surprised supporters after both had played in the midweek outing against Derio. The omission came as coach Edin Terzic named a 24-man travelling squad to Leioa and left both midfielders without minutes as Athletic recorded an 11-0 victory. The Athletic Bilbao pre-season landscape is now under closer scrutiny as supporters and pundits parse the selection choices and what they might indicate about the coming campaign.
Terzic’s selection for Sarriena and match outcome
Terzic used a 24-man roster for the trip to Leioa and introduced a near-complete overhaul at half-time, keeping only one player on the field for the full ninety minutes. The coach’s approach produced a lop-sided 11-0 scoreline that reflected a wide gulf in quality and fitness on the day. The match offered minutes to several squad members who had not featured in the opening friendly, and late goals from forward Hierro capped the emphatic win.
The wholesale changes at the interval underline a clear rotation strategy in the early weeks of preparation, with Terzic prioritizing volume of minutes across his squad. Such rotation is a common pre-season tool to assess match sharpness, fitness levels and combinations without risking key players unnecessarily. The result at Sarriena therefore reads as both a performance indicator and a conditioning exercise rather than a definitive measure of pecking order.
Who played and who was tested in midweek
Several players who did not appear in the first friendly at La Florida were given their first pre-season minutes, providing Terzic with fresh options to evaluate. Nacho Monreal stood out by completing the full match, partnering with Yeray in the first half before switching to play alongside Paredes after the break. Gerenabarrena and Johaneko both made appearances in the opening lineup, offering attacking balance and minutes that could be useful as Terzic finalizes tactical plans.
The match also saw the arrival of Hierro into the matchday squad in place of Maroan, and he produced the final two goals late on to punctuate the rout. Goalkeeper Simón García travelled with the group but remained unused, which reflects the typical pre-season pattern of handing opportunities across the goalkeeper cohort without disrupting established pecking orders. The mix of starters and substitutes used across both friendlies is designed to give the coaching staff a wide sample of form and fitness.
Reading the omission of Galarreta and Prados
The simultaneous absence of two central midfielders invites questions, but the context for each player differs and suggests multiple explanations are possible. For Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, who has been a seasoned campaigner for the club, the omission can be interpreted as deliberate workload management during the early, intensive phase of pre-season. Managers commonly rest experienced players to protect them from early overexposure and to prolong availability across a long campaign.
Beñat Prados presents a different set of considerations, given his relative standing among emerging midfield options and the competition for minutes. With established names such as Oihan Sancet, Mikel Vesga and Unai Gómez also involved in midfield planning, Prados’ limited use in these opening fixtures raises questions about where he fits into Terzic’s immediate tactical concept. Neither omission is, on its own, proof of a permanent demotion, but both selections together will feed into supporter speculation and internal squad debate.
Implications for midfield depth and tactical planning
Athletic’s midfield picture is being actively reshaped during pre-season as the coaching staff balances experience, youth and tactical requirements ahead of competitive fixtures. The decision to rotate and to withhold minutes from certain players can indicate a desire to test different midfield pairings and shapes under game conditions. Terzic’s substitutions and half-time regrouping suggest he is experimenting with positional partnerships as much as he is registering individual fitness.
Competition for central midfield places is likely to remain intense, with several players vying for a limited number of starting roles in Terzic’s system. How Galarreta and Prados are reintegrated — whether through minutes in upcoming friendlies, specific training programs, or altered roles — will be telling. The coach’s management of appearance time is as much a message to the squad about readiness and expectations as it is a practical measure to prepare players physically.
Transfer market context and squad movement considerations
Pre-season omissions often generate transfer speculation, but absence alone rarely conveys a fixed outcome in the market. Clubs and players frequently use early friendlies to determine whether a loan, permanent move, or altered squad status would be mutually beneficial before transfer windows open or close. For Athletic, maintaining squad balance and ensuring adequate cover across positions will be key factors if adjustments are pursued.
No concrete indications were provided regarding impending moves for either player, and Athletic’s pre-season schedule will provide further clarity about squad stability and any potential outgoings. The next fixtures will be observed closely by agents, sporting directors and rival clubs looking for signs of who is being primed for a retained role and who might be surplus to immediate requirements. Until more minutes are allocated or formal negotiations surface, speculation should be treated as tentative.
What the coming pre-season fixtures will reveal
The remainder of pre-season represents a controlled environment in which Terzic can test selections, refine tactics and manage player workloads ahead of competitive matches. Upcoming friendlies will likely offer opportunities for both Galarreta and Prados to stake a claim for inclusion, or for the coaching team to make clearer decisions about their roles. Observers should focus on minutes, positions played and the level of trust shown by the staff when late-game minutes are allocated.
Teams often transition from broad experimentation to a more settled core as pre-season marches on, and how players respond to intermittent opportunities will shape squad announcements. Athletic’s coaching staff will be balancing the need to field competitive lineups with the imperative to return players to peak fitness without risking injury. The pattern of selections over the next two to three friendlies should therefore serve as a more reliable barometer of intent than any single match.
Terzic’s choices at Sarriena leave questions but not conclusions, and Athletic Bilbao’s pre-season will continue to provide evidence about the club’s tactical direction and squad priorities. The coaching staff’s rotation, the return of rested players and the allocation of minutes in coming fixtures will determine whether Galarreta and Prados remain central to plans or whether alternative pathways emerge.
