Athletic Bilbao face Eibar this Saturday in Zamudio in their fourth pre-season friendly. The Armeros, managed by Jokin Aranbarri, have two ex-Bilbao Athletic players on their bench: Aranbarri himself and Mikel Balenziaga.
What happened before the clash?
Athletic have played three pre-season games so far, while Eibar are in their second. Aranbarri, who coached Bilbao Athletic for two seasons, is joined by Balenziaga - a duo that worked together at the Bilbao Athletic last campaign. Both know the Lezama system inside out.
Overlapping paths between Lezama and Ipurua
The crossover between Athletic and Eibar benches is nothing new. Joseba Etxeberria, the club’s fifth-most capped player ever, managed Eibar from 2023 to 2025 after two seasons in charge of Bilbao Athletic. Gaizka Garitano also had two spells at Eibar (2012-15 and 2021-23) before taking charge of Athletic between 2018 and 2021.
José Luis Mendilibar’s link is just as strong: he managed Eibar before taking the helm at Athletic in 2021, though his San Mamés tenure lasted just ten matches. Mendilibar later won the Europa League with Sevilla and the Conference League with Olympiacos.
Other names with Lezama ties
Carlos Terrazas managed Eibar in 2006-07 after spells at Bilbao Athletic and as Lezama’s director. José Mari Amorrortu, who coached Athletic between 1994 and 1996, also left his mark on the youth system. Blas Ziarreta, with a long managerial history at Eibar, became Lezama’s head of scouting in 2004.
