Euskal Non-League Day: Aviron Bayonnais
Euskal Non-League Day: Aviron Bayonnais
The Didier Deschamps stadium in Bayonne will host a match between Aviron and Dunboa Eguzki
Location: Bayonne
Ground: Stade Didier Deschamps
Division: Championnat National 3 (Fifth tier)
Match: Aviron Bayonnais vs Dunboa Eguzki (Sept 9. 15:30 CEST)
Founded in 1922 as part of Aviron Bayonnais sports club, the Lapurdi-based outfit joined the French football federation in 1935. After World War II, the Association sportive bayonnaise was formed but it was not until 1952 that football activities resumed. Since then they have been the leading football side in the Northern Basque Country and are currently affiliated with Athletic Club.
On Saturday 9, at 15:30 in the afternoon Aviron will face Dunboa Eguzki - an Athletic partner club based in Gipuzkoa - in a friendly match at the Stade Didier Deschamps.
As with the rest of the matches held on Euskal Non-league Day, at half-time Aviron will give away Athletic first team shirts and double VIP tickets for the Lions' upcoming match against Cadiz CF at San Mames.
Aviron is probably the most renowned team in the Northern Basque Country, often referred to as Iparralde in Basque. One of the high points of the club's history came in the early 1970s, when they brought together a generation of talented players who lifted the Sud-Ouest title and won several French Cup ties.
That side included the likes of Jean-Claude Larrieu, a goalkeeper who played for the French national team in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, Raymond Camus, a Girondins Bordeaux and Toulouse defender, and Felix Lacuesta, who turned out for several prestigious European clubs in the 70s and 80s such as Saint-Etienne, Bastia, Girondins Olympique Lyonnais and AS Monaco. On several occasions these players were linked with moves to Athletic.
In the mid 80s, the Zurigorri visited Bayonne to play in a friendly tournament against Brazilian side Botafogo. The Lions took home the trophy thanks to goals from Txetxu Gallego and Ismael Urtubi.
A few weeks later, a young Didier Deschamps, who had come up through the Aviron ranks, made his debut in the Nantes first team as a 16-year-old. Almost four decades later and having won everything as a player and coach, the stadium in Bayonne now bears his name. Along with the former Rojiblanco Bixente Lizarazu, Deschamps is the most successful and renowned footballer to have emerged from Iparralde.
Aymeric Laporte
In the 2003-04 season, the side caused a surprise by knocking Guingamp and Girondins out of the Cup before losing to Paris Saint-Germain in Paris.
The turn of the century brought closer ties with Athletic. Proof of this was a 1-1 friendly draw in Bayonne on 14 May 2008, the loan of youngster Ibon Enziondo to Aviron and a young Aymeric Laporte's spell with side.
The talented defender managed to establish himself at Athletic, but he was not the only player from the Northern Basque Country to try his luck in Bilbao. Other players such as Alexis Carvalho, Julien Gutierrez, Kevin Ladeveze, Lucas Claverie, Maecky Lubrano, Nicolas Caubard and Olivier Caboche have spent time at Lezama.
Athletic Club has also tested and used players from Aviron in different tournaments and championships. It is a relationship that has grown stronger over the years and continues to bear fruit.
A clear example of this is the recent incorporation of Yann Cissé, who recently came to Lezama from Bayonne. And let's not forget Bayonne-native Sophie Istillart, who turned out for Las Leonas from 2019 until 2022.
