Athletic Club Women debuts in 2021

We’ve seen several new faces in the Athletic Club Women squad in 2021. Seven players made Athletic debuts in the Primera Iberdrola this year. Below we look back at those footballers and their special moment:

Mariana Cerro was the first to make her debut. The midfielder made her first appearance in the top-flight during the Lionesses’ 2-1 victory over Santa Teresa Badajoz on April 4, 2021. Mariana replaced Yulema Corres in the 81st minute and has since made seven appearances in the First Division.

Before the end of the campaign there were three more debuts. Midfielders Clara Pinedo and Alejandra Estefanía, still in school and on the verge of taking their university entrance exams, made their debuts on June 6 against Levante. Clara replaced Leyre Monente in the 64th minute, while Estefa came on for the last ten minutes in place of Marta Unzué.

Meanwhile, two weeks later, Naia Landaluze got her first minutes in the red and white, coming on as a 57th-minute sub for Lucía García against FC Barcelona.

The Lionesses’ summer signings, Mariasun Quiñones, Itxaso Uriarte and Ainize ‘Peke’ Barea got their first taste of Athletic action on September 5, in the 0-2 win over Madrid CFF at the Antiguo Canódromo, the side’s first victory of the campaign. Goalkeeper Quiñones was in the starting line-up, Itxaso came on in the 63rd minute for Irene Oguiza and Peke took Paula Arana’s place in the 88th minute.