Unai Simón: “We want to keep this streak going”

Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simón answered questions about his injured wrist and Los Leones' ambitions for the upcoming season.

The shotstopper is set for a period on the sidelines after undergoing a recent operation to resolve a ligament issue in his right wrist.

"My wrist is fine, I don't have any pain and I need to keep it immobilised until the doctor says otherwise," Simón said at a press conference on Thursday morning.

"Honestly, I was told that it would be immobilised for a long time. How long will depend on the rehabilitation process and how my wrist progresses when I take off the cast.

"I've gone through periods with a lot of pain, but whoever spends a whole season playing and has no pain, let them cast the first stone. It's normal, we live with it and whenever I've had pain that's prevented me from playing we've always resorted to injections. That's how it's been during the season and also at the European Championship."

Confidence in Athletic's goalkeepers

The shotstopper explained that he suggested delaying his wrist operation as soon as he learnt about Julen Agirrezabala's injury.

He said: "I sent a message to the club saying that if it was necessary to hold off on the operation, I was willing to wait. Once I was told that Julen was out for a month, we decided, together with the coach and the technical staff, to proceed with the operation."

As for the level of the two academy goalkeepers available for pre-season, Unai Simón believes they have the ability to play senior football at Athletic.

"Alex Padilla, with what I have been able to see in pre-season, I think he's doing very well. With what we have already seen of him when he was training with us and how he competed with Bilbao Athletic, he has the qualities to be a goalkeeper in senior football.

"Like everything in life, you have to prove it on the pitch and these days will be great for him to gain confidence, just like Oier [Gastesi]. I think they are two goalkeepers who have quality and ability."

Simón praised Julen's "incredible" performances in last year's run to the 25th Copa title.

“He has a lot of experience in the dressing room and he needs less advice. He is gradually absorbing the concepts of professional football in his own way.

"As for Padilla, he's a goalkeeper who is open to listening and asking for opinions, but I think everyone has to make their own way."

Considered and informed decision

Simón said he saught a variety of opinions before deciding when to have surgery on his wrist, taking on board advice from Ernesto Valverde, Luis de la Fuente and the club's medical services before committing to a treatment.

He continued: "We all had to come to an agreement, we all knew about my situation. When I had a serious setback in September, the best thing for my wrist would have been to have surgery then. I would have been out for a few months due to recovery, come back in great shape and played the final part of the season.

"The other option was to finish the season, have surgery and miss the European Championship. I was not willing to do that. As a player and as a professional that was impossible. So, the conclusion we came to was that I would play in pain for the whole season but perhaps my wrist would give out and I would have to have an operation before then.

"I would have missed the whole end of the season, the Copa final, the European Championship and the Zamora trophy. I don't regret the decision I made, I think it was the right one, but it was risky. It wasn't the best thing for my wrist, but I'm very proud of the season I've had and the decision I made."

Being ambitious in 2024/25

Unai has visited his teammates during their pre-season preparations and has not seen any drop off in hard work and effort.

"The team continues to maintain the essence of what Athletic is: unity, family and friends," he added.

"They are integrating the new teammates. The dressing room remains the same. On the pitch, the pre-seasons are about taking on the coach's concepts and being the best we can for the opener against Getafe CF."

Talking about the upcoming season, the goalkeeper insists Athletic must be as ambitious as possible in all competitions.

"The past is in the past. It was wonderful to win the Copa together with this team and these fans," he said.

"It was magnificent to achieve what we did last season, getting into Europe. And this year we're excited about the Copa and a new competition.

"Few players have competed in it and I think, from what players with experience in this type of competition say, that the atmosphere in Bilbao during Europa League matches is special and different.

"We're not going to set ourselves a clear objective, but we want to go as far as possible and enjoy the opposition we have in front of us. We want to keep our streak going."

"We have to best winger in Europe and we have to enjoy that"

Commenting on everything that has unfolded surrounding Nico Williams over the last month, Unai Simón conveyed a message of calmness, telling the young winger to "enjoy his holidays" and come back well rested.

He said: "It has been a very complicated month and a half for him. Reading articles about himself all day long, things he didn't even know, things that were made up, because 90% of the things were invented.

"The pressure he has been under is not easy. The only thing he's been guilty of is being the best winger at the European Championship. He hasn't deserved any of the pressure he's been under.

"At 22 he has earned the respect of Athletic and the Spanish national team. We'll all be happy with whatever decision he makes and the only advice I can give him is that, after the year he has had, he should enjoy his holidays and being with his family and friends. Let him enjoy his break so he can come back with his batteries recharged.

"I think we all have to be very proud to have probably the best winger in Europe in our squad and we have to enjoy that."