

Angel Villacampa has appeared before the media online after having announced his renewal last week for one more season with Athletic Club. The coach of the women’s first team has appeared content after knowing he will be leading the red-and-white team in the 20/21 season at the Primera Iberdrola. Villacampa has highlighted ‘the pride of continuing to belong to this great family and keeping being attached to a club as big as this one. The League has ended in a very atypical way and the break took place at our best moment. I feel we have not finished the work yet. We got there with a lot of enthusiasm, but we have more motivation now. We know that returning to the competition will be difficult after such a long period of inactivity and it will be a major challenge. It’s flattering for me that a club like this one keeps trusting me and being able to train this team’.
The team plans to return to training over the next three weeks, during which time the appropriate sanitary measures will be taken to return to contact with the ball. ‘I think we should go back because being able to do what we love is part of our life. We have to act professionally, just as the club treats us’. The objective is clear: to reach a pre-season, yet without a specific date, in the best possible physical condition.
As for the end of the Primera Iberdrola , the red-and-white coach said he would have loved to have been able to finish the competition: ‘The president of the RFEF announced the end of competitions that did not have a playoff. In women’s football, at national level, they will play. It’s a difficult and complex decision; I wouldn’t have liked to be in the place of the decision-makers because there will always be someone who disagrees with them. We have complied. They think it’s the best thing for everyone’. Primera Iberdrola ended last March and it is not known to what extent women’s football will be affected. ‘We don’t know what will happen. Whether the trend of signing foreign players will continue. We are witnessing some movements in some teams and it seems that the crisis will not prevent the growth of women’s football. I wish so because it’s been hard for us to take that step forward to go backwards now’.
Generation change
The coach fondly remembered Ainhoa Tirapu, who announced her retirement a month ago: ‘It was a source of pride to have a player like her in the dressing room’ and referred to the new goalkeeper, Amaia Pena: ‘She has the size and qualities, but also the ambition and desire to improve. With her, we are also seeking that generational change’.
Next season, the lions will be playing the semi-final of the Queen’s Cup (Copa de la Reina) which is pending, against EDF Logroño. Great challenges lie ahead for a group that this year has included young faces and debutants. ‘When we had the break we had the Cup semi-final and the team was in clear projection. To see that Moraza and Lucia have gone with the senior team, along with Damaris, Azkona and Maite as young talents. In addition, three players who became important have gone from A to B as the case of Oihane, Valdezate and Azkona. We have had debuts of players from B. We feel that we are in that process of rejuvenating the squad or giving opportunities to players from the affiliate who have proven to be very valuable for our future. I feel I need to know how far we can go’.


The Lionesses put up fight in loss to FC Barcelona
Women
Las Rojiblancas did a remarkable job defensively and deserved a better than to lose 0-4


Tell My Skin become Athletic Club Women sponsor
Women
The dermatology and aesthetics clinic has signed an agreement for three seasons and its logo will appear on the front of the first team's training and pre-match warm-up strip


Zugasti gives Lionesses hard-fought win over Valencia CF
Women
Athletic Club Women picked up their first away victory of the campaign thanks to goals from Pinedo and Zugasti


Athletic Women to face Madrid CFF in the Copa round of 16
Women
The Lionesses will play in Lezama in a single-leg tie on 13 or 14 January


Madrid CFF beat the Lionesses at Lezama
Women
Athletic initially took the lead when Pinedo scored direct from a corner, but they were not able to hold on for the win


Athletic Women move into Copa round of 16
Women
The Zurigorris beat Granada CF 1-4, with goals from Nahikari, Pinedo, Amezaga and Elexpuru


The Lionesses lose to Real Betis
Women
A lack of clincal edge and a fine performance by Paula Vizoso condemn Athletic to a 1-0 defeat against Real Betis


The Lionesses fight back to beat Real Sociedad at Lezama
Women
Goals from Azkona and Amezaga served to overturn la Real's early lead in a vibrant derby


Practical Information: Athletic Club Women vs Real Sociedad
Women
Ticket office at Lezama will be open from 90 minutes before kick-off. Club Members, VIP Premium members, Club Athletic supporters and Gazte Abonoa holders get in free


David Aznar: “We'll see a great Athletic”
Women
The Lionesses' head coach is convinced they will give it everything to win the Basque Derby against Real Sociedad