Athletic Bilbao: A Team Guide

Welcome to a guide to one of my favourite teams in football. Athletic Club Bilbao or Athletic Bilbao as they are better known. They can be one of the toughest but more interesting sides to manage in FMM17 because simply due to their recruitment policy. 

 

 

The club is known for its policy of bringing young Basque players through the ranks, as well as recruiting top Basque players from other clubs like club alumni like Joseba Etxeberria and Javi Martínez. Athletic's official policy is the signing of  professional players native to or trained in football in the greater Basque Country, Which includes Biscay, Gipuzkoa, Álava and Navarre (in Spain); and Labourd, Soule and Lower Navarre (in France). Since its foundation, Athletic has played exclusively with players meeting the criteria to be deemed as Basque players, and has been one of the most successful teams of La Liga with 8 league titles.

 

Honours

 

La Liga (8)

Spanish Cup (23)

Spanish Super Cup (2)

 

Club info

 

 

 

Club Finance 

 

 

The Challenge

 

The board expect champions league qualification this season, This will be no easy feat however, as Bilbao have only reached the group stages in the current format of the Champions league just once in 2014 and on that occasion the failed to progress past the group. It will be your job to change that, the other challenge would be to bring Los Leones their first league title since 1984 and end a 33 year wait for the 9th title. 

 

You start the 16/17 season with approximately £36 million in a transfer budget,£38m if you are bold enough to go for the league title in your first season. You also have a wage budget of £836k again you can raise it to £886k if you set your ambitions higher.

 

Squad

 

 

You have a big squad to use, which is to be expected with the importance placed on youth production. The likes of Kepa, Muninan, Villalibre should be the base for the squad along with the following.

 

Key Players

 

Aymeric Laporte 

 

 

A favourite of FMM players for the last few seasons. Laporte will be the centre piece of your defence. Possessing vital green ratings in the likes of Aerial, tackling and strength. He has all the abilities to lead the defence for years to come. Did I mention he is only 22 so will no doubt improve in the future.

 

Inaki Williams

 

 

Another young gem to base your team around. The lightning fast winger continues to improve every season. Already rating highly in Dribbling and Shooting and an ability to play in a number of attacking positions. There is a reason why in most saves he is quickly snapped up by the likes Barcelona, Man city this kid will be a beast.

 

Artiz Aduriz

 

 

The elder statesmen of the team. Despite his age he is more than capable to lead the line. With superior Aerial and movement will make him a target man for the likes of Willams and Munian. You may only have him for one or two seasons by then Asier Villalibre should be ready to take the mantle.

 

Transfer Strategy

 

Your transfer strategy will be the most intriguing part of the save. Remember you can only sign Basque players. Depending how you attempt the save if you use a sugar daddy style strategy you could sign the likes of Ander Herrea, Antoine Griezman, Gonzalo Higuain could be an option. There is also plenty of players at Real Sociedad as they also adopt the basque transfer strategy, although they do allow the signing of foreign players. The likes of Inigio Martinez, Asier Illarrmendi  would be eligible but Bilbao and Sociedad are bitter rivals so expect to pay big prices. My personal strategy is to rely on youth intake and regens to supply your team as this is more realistic in terms of Bilbao's policy.

 

Thanks for reading and best of luck with the Rojiblancos save.

 

 

[FuddledFox]

Good guide mate.

I always think I should give Bilbao a go but never seem to get round to it. With the transfer policy they have it would make a really unique save, Maybe one to put on my list for FMM18.

[mcandrew003]

Awesome guide!

A team I've used a few times, making me want to again 

[samhardy]

Nice work.

I'd focus more on analysing the squad as a whole as well as the key players, and where to improve in the transfer market (even though there are limited options as you said). Is there any players who have no future at the club? Players that should be moved on for the benefit of their careers?

Also tactically, with the players at your disposal, before and after transfer dealings, I'd include recommended starting XIs at the very minimum, even delving into player roles and team instructions if necessary.

Good stuff overall though and certainly a fun team to manage in game