Match Pack: SD Eibar vs Athletic Club (Copa Round of 32)

Athletic Club are set to face local rivals SD Eibar in the Copa round of 32. After winning/drawing/losing against Sevilla FC on Thursday evening, the Zurigorri travel to Ipurua, where we take on Joseba Etxeberria's side in a single-leg cup clash.

Favourites for promotion, the Basque side are currently seventh in LaLiga Hypermotion - just one point from the play-off spots.

The Azulgranas have made it this far in the Copa thanks to victories over CF Lorca Deportiva and UD Melilla (on penalties) in the first two rounds.

Match Info
SD Eibar vs Athletic Club

Ipurua Futbol Zelaia, Eibar

Copa del Rey 2023/24 (Round of 32)

Sunday January 7, 19:00 CET

Global kick-off times

Team News
Valverde named a 22-man squad for the match in Eibar.

Yeray Álvarez and Dani García remain sidelined, while Iñaki Williams is away on international duty with Ghana, while Gorka Guruzeta has also been left out of the squad.

Valverde's Comments
Catch-up with with what Ernesto had to say at his pre-match press conference.

The Opponents

Head coach: Joseba Etxeberria

A name that needs no introduction for Athleticzales. Over 15 seasons playing for the Zurigorri, the winger played 514 matches and scored 104 goals. He is fourth in the club's all-time appearance makers.

After hanging up his boots in 2010, Joseba quickly moved into coaching. He started off coaching sides in Athletic's academy, taking over Basconia in 2016.

In June 2017, he moved to Amorebieta, managing the Biscay-based outfit for half a season before getting the main job at CD Tenerife the following February. After a short-lived stint in the Canary Islands, Etxeberria returned to Athletic in May 2019 to manage Bilbao Athletic.

In two successful seasons, Joseba twice had the Cubs on the brink of promotion to the Segunda División and he helped bring through a talented generation which now forms a great part of the first-team squad, including players such as: Julen Agirrezabala, Dani Vivian, Imanol, Aitor Paredes, Oihan Sancet, Beñat Prados, Nico Williams and Gorka Guruzeta.

Top goalscorer: Ager Aketxe

Another familiar name for Athletic fans. Ager joined Lezama at under-10 level and made his way through the ranks before making his first-team debut in 2014/15. However, a serious knee injury and competition for places saw the midfielder struggle to properly breakthrough.

In January 2017 he was loaned out to Cádiz and then a year later sold to Canadian side Toronto FC. After half a season in Toronto, Ager returned to Cádiz and spent a couple of campaigns bouncing between different Spanish sides. 

He signed for Deportivo La Coruña in July 2019 and joined UD Almería in 2020. A season later, he returned to the Basque Country, agreeing a deal with SD Eibar. He is now in his third year at Ipurua and has his best figures so far, having scored a total of 10 goals in 21 appearances during the first half of 2023/24.

Copa 2023/24:

Eibar kicked off their Copa campaign with a 0-4 victory over CF Lorca Deportivo and reached the round of 32 after knocking out UD Melilla on penalties in December.

Los Armeros' best ever Copa run came in the 2016/17 season when Jose Luis Mendilibar - another figures with deep ties to Athletic - led the side to the quarter-finals.

Previous Meetings
Los Leones and Eibar have faced each other six times in the Copa, in three two-legged ties. The first encounter dates back to the 1979/80 campaign, with Athletic winning 2-5 at Ipurua and 5-1 at San Mames in a first-round clash.

They faced off again in 1984/85, this time in the second round. Eibar held the Zurigorri to a 1-1 draw at Ipurua but Athletic powered to a 5-1 victory in Bilbao.

The most recent Copa match between the two Basque side took place in 2012/13. The first leg was a 0-0 draw in Eibar and the  Azulgrana progressed to the round of 16 on away goals after achieving a 1-1 draw at San Mames in the return fixture.