Euskal Non-League Day: Arenas Club de Getxo

Location: Getxo
Ground: Campo de Gobela
Division: 2nd RFEF (Fourth tier)
Match: Arenas vs Barakaldo CF (Sept 9. 19:00 CEST)

Of all of Athletic Club's affiliate clubs, Arenas Club de Getxo are the only side that can boast of being one of LaLiga's founding teams and of having played in the Primera División for seven seasons.

Arenas' golden age came before the Spanish Civil War, when they achieved their greatest feat in becoming the 1919 Copa champions, beating FC Barcelona in the final.

A host of pioneering footballers played for Arenas during that period, including: Pedro Vallana, José María Yermo, José María Peña, Domingo Careaga, Francisco Pagaza, José María Jáuregui and the Lion Félix Sesumaga, all of them also played internation football for the Spanish national team. What's more, Vallana, Pagaza and Sesumaga won silver at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp.

After the Civil War, Arenas played five seasons in the Second Division, followed by a long stretch in which they alternated between the Tercera División and the Regional Preferente, except for one solitary season in the Segunda División B in 1979.

Arenas were finally promoted back to Segunda B in 2015 thanks to the impetus of a new board, and in 2022 they reached the play-offs for promotion to the new 1st RFEF.

Euskal Non-League Day in Gobela

The Euskal Non-League Day match between Arenas and Barakaldo, to be played at Gobela on Saturday (19:00 CEST), is a unique opportunity to witness a duel between two of the most influential Basque clubs in Athletic Club's 125 years of history.

A host of players have donned both the red-and-black jersey of Arenas and the red-and-white of Athletic: Félix Sesumaga, Guillermo Gorostiza, Leandro Cilaurren, Gregorio Blasco, Juan Ignacio Meltzer, Raimundo Pérez Lezama, Carlos Meléndez, Manuel Suárez, Manuel 'Travieso' López, Felix Zubiaga, José Mandaluniz, José Luis Duque, Jon Xabier Vidal, Joseba del Olmo, Luis Bergareche, Jose Luis Bergaretxe, Gorka Azkorra, Isaac Aketxe, Aitor Ramos and Iker Undabarrena.

Arenas' opponents on Euskal Non-League Day also boast a number of historic players who, as well as playing for Barakaldo, have also featured for Athletic Club. Interestingly, three of them, Guillermo Gorostiza, Travieso and Miguel Gainza (brother of the legendary Piru Gainza) also played for Arenas. Other outstanding Lions who played for Barakaldo include Venancio Perez, Agustín 'Bata' Sauto, Manu Sarabia, Dani Ruiz-Bazan, Isaac Oceja, Koldo Etxeberria, Javier Escalza and even Telmo Zarra.

Don't forget Arenas Club will raffle off two Athletic's first team shirts and double VIP tickets for Los Leones' match against Cádiz at San Mames.