Maroan and Buján make Athletic Club debuts
Maroan and Buján make Athletic Club debuts
The forward and the winger became the respective 649th and 650th players to make a first official appearance for the Lions
Maroan Sannadi and Endika Buján got their first minutes of official Athletic Club action during the Lions' 3-0 win over Girona FC on Saturday afternoon.
Maroan, who had been on loan at Barakaldo CF from Deportivo Alavés until Athletic signed him, and Buján, a summer signing for Bilbao Athletic from Barakaldo, became the 649th and 650th Lions to debut for Athletic Club.
The tall striker, born Vitoria-Gasteiz and of Moroccan origins, joined Athletic barely a week ago. He scored 11 goals in 20 appearances while on loan at Barakaldo. Maroan came off the bench to replace Gorka Guruzeta in the 65th minute. A brave performance, with some neat touches and plenty of running, saw him walk off the pitch to applause at San Mames.
"It is a very special moment. I have been waiting for this for a long time and I hope to continue enjoying myself at this great club," Sannadi said after the match.
"I felt at ease, mostly because of the confidence that the manager and the team have given me. I'll try to make the most of the opportunities I've been given to keep helping the team. We're in very good form and we hope to continue like this until the end of the season."
Endika Buján replaced Alex Berenguer in the 83rd minute. The 22-year-old winger, currently featuring for Bilbao Athletic in the Primera Federación, was lively and combative when he came on.
He said: "I was very nervous during the substitution, because I'd been thinking about this moment since the night before.
"Throughout all 22 years of my life, I have dedicated everything to experiencing this moment. It's a dream that any person who comes to San Mames hopes to live one day and I've been lucky enough to live it. I dedicate this debut to my father, who will have been watching from above."