Tribute to Amaia Olabarrieta and Saioa González

Yesterday, we recalled the farewell of three players that proved to be essential in the history of Athletic women’s team and today it’s the turn of two other players who also left their footprint and  were forced to retire due to knee injuries. They are Amaia Olabarrieta and Saioa González who, just four years ago, were warmly their supported by thei teammates and fans in Lezama. In the run-up to the match on the 27^th, when the lions were hosting Oiartzun, Amaia and Saioa were honoured in a ceremony after which Joseba Aguirre’s pupils beat the team from Gipuzkoa by 2-0 and kept a run of six consecutive victories. Two weeks later, the red-and-white were awarded League champions.

Amaia Olabarrieta closes the ‘top-10’ of players with more matches (232) in the history of Athletic Club. She made her debut on June 4, in 2004 and wore the our colours for 13 seasons. In March 2014, in match played at home against Valencia, the midfielder suffered a torn of anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. That washer last match as a lion in Lezama.

In the case of Saioa González, it was her left knee – of which she had already undergone surgery – that was damaged when she suffered the fracture of the anterior cruciate ligament in April 2013, in the match against Atlético de Madrid, plaued at Cerro del Espino. The defender had made its debut with Athletic Club on 19 September 2010, following its spell at L’Estartit and played 70 matches in just six seasons.

In May 2016, the Club wanted to pay a warm tribute to them for their career, dedication and effort. The last few years fighting to recover from the injury were not easy. That afternoon, the hugs of their teammates gave comfort to the two players who are still in the red-and-white field today. Amaia is the current coach of the Athletic Ladies Youth and Saioa is the delegate of the first red-and-white team.