Anniversary: the magical season of the third Superliga

15 years have passed since the third league title was won by Athletic Club women’s team, which was also the third in a row. From their first appearance in the Superliga, in 2002-03, to the 2004-05 season, the lionesses made a clean sweep. Besides, during the 2004-05 campaign, the Red and Whites did not suffer any defeats in the domestic competition; a milestone only Atlético de Madrid, under the management of current red-and-white coach Ángel Villacampa, were able to reach in 2016-17. Iñigo Juaristi was the coach in charge of that squad, who remained unbeaten in all the 26 Superliga matches: 20 wins and 6 draws, becoming champions with 66 points. An achievement that allowed Athletic Club to keep the trophy after having won the competition three consecutive times (in 2003, 2004 and 2005).

First title on the road

This time, unlike the previous two campaigns, the last league clash was held on the road and San Mamés was not witness to the celebration of the feat. Ith was played on 17 April 2005 at FC Barcelona’s Miniestadi. The lionesses arrived there without having made any mistakes, needing only to get a point to clinch the title once more and they did not fail. Athletic Club won 0-2 (Eli Ibarra and Gurutze were the goal scorers) over the local team, ending the competition at the top of the table with three points ahead of Levante, who had defeated Sevilla 3-2 and fought for the championship title until the end. The red-and-white side got their fourth title two years later and, in 2016, their fifth and last. No other women’s football club has won as many league titles as Athletic Club.

That was also the season when Erika Vázquez made her debut, an unquestionable leading player in the present squad and the only current footballer who took part in that extraordinary campaign. It was then when the player from Navarre started collecting trophies wearing the red-and-white shirt and completed her introductory season scoring no less than 26 goals.