# 2016–17 Athletic Bilbao season

The 2016–17 season was the 118th in Athletic Club’s history and the 86th in the top tier.

## Squad

According to the official website.

### Player statistics

| S | P | N | Name | League | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Cup | Cup | Europe | Europe | Europe | Europe | Total | Total | Total | Total |
| S | P | N | Name | A | S | G | M | A | S | G | M | A | S | G | M | A | S | G | M |
| 1 | GK | | Gorka Iraizoz (c) | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1404 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 360 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 270 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 2034 |
| 2 | DF | | Eneko Bóveda | 18 | 1 | 0 | 1559 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 252 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 1840 |
| 3 | DF | | Gorka Elustondo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 104 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 141 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 255 |
| 4 | DF | | Aymeric Laporte | 33 | 0 | 2 | 2865 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 360 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 540 | 43 | 0 | 2 | 3765 |
| 5 | MF | | Javier Eraso | 4 | 3 | 0 | 377 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 220 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 673 |
| 6 | MF | | Mikel San José | 30 | 5 | 4 | 2700 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 270 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 414 | 37 | 7 | 4 | 3384 |
| 7 | MF | | Beñat Etxebarria | 27 | 4 | 1 | 2410 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 466 | 33 | 5 | 2 | 2966 |
| 8 | MF | | Ander Iturraspe (3rd c) | 12 | 12 | 0 | 1151 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 121 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 316 | 17 | 15 | 0 | 1588 |
| 10 | MF | | Iker Muniain | 28 | 7 | 7 | 2412 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 138 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 599 | 36 | 10 | 7 | 3149 |
| 11 | FW | | Iñaki Williams | 31 | 7 | 5 | 2801 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 264 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 557 | 41 | 8 | 8 | 3622 |
| 14 | FW | | Markel Susaeta (vc) | 11 | 15 | 1 | 1104 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 104 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 266 | 15 | 21 | 1 | 1474 |
| 15 | DF | | Iñigo Lekue | 17 | 8 | 2 | 1573 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 316 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 1979 |
| 16 | DF | | Xabier Etxeita | 7 | 3 | 0 | 712 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 300 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 160 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1172 |
| 17 | MF | | Mikel Rico | 4 | 14 | 1 | 469 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 183 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 716 |
| 18 | DF | | Óscar de Marcos | 24 | 3 | 1 | 2149 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 439 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 2588 |
| 19 | FW | | Sabin Merino | 5 | 8 | 1 | 436 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 187 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 668 |
| 20 | FW | | Aritz Aduriz | 27 | 5 | 16 | 2430 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 274 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 484 | 35 | 7 | 24 | 3188 |
| 22 | MF | | Raúl García | 34 | 2 | 10 | 2883 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 226 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 628 | 44 | 2 | 14 | 3737 |
| 24 | DF | | Mikel Balenziaga | 33 | 0 | 1 | 2851 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 270 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 539 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 3660 |
| 25 | DF | | Enric Saborit | 5 | 4 | 0 | 459 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 237 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 135 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 831 |
| 26 | GK | | Kepa Arrizabalaga | 23 | 0 | 0 | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 2016 |
| 27 | DF | | Yeray Álvarez | 25 | 1 | 0 | 2270 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 720 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 3008 |
| Players left the club or on loan, in transfer windows or mid-season ||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | MF | | Mikel Vesga | 3 | 3 | 0 | 285 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 465 |
| 13 | GK | | Iago Herrerín | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 450 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 450 |
| 21 | FW | | Borja Viguera | 0 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
| 28 | FW | | Asier Villalibre | 0 | 6 | 0 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 117 |

### Disciplinary record

Iker Muniain's yellow card against Osasuna on matchday 10 was taken back in December 2016.
| S | P | Name | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Cup | Europe | Europe | Europe | Total | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | Gorka Iraizoz | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Eneko Bóveda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Gorka Elustondo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Aymeric Laporte | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | Javier Eraso | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Mikel San José | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Beñat Etxebarria | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Ander Iturraspe | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Iker Muniain | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | Iñaki Williams | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Markel Susaeta | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Iñigo Lekue | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | Xabier Etxeita | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Mikel Rico | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Óscar de Marcos | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | Sabin Merino | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Aritz Aduriz | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Raúl García | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Mikel Balenziaga | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | DF | Enric Saborit | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | GK | Kepa Arrizabalaga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Yeray Álvarez | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Players left the club or on loan, in transfer windows or mid-season ||||||||||||||||
| 12 | MF | Mikel Vesga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | Iago Herrerín | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | Borja Viguera | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | FW | Asier Villalibre | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### From the youth system

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 12 | MF | ESP | Mikel Vesga |
| 27 | DF | ESP | Yeray Álvarez |
| 28 | FW | ESP | Asier Villalibre |

### Transfer

In
| Date | Name | Moving from | Fee |
| 6 June 2016 | Kepa Arrizabalaga | Valladolid | Loan return |
Out
| Date | Name | Moving to | Fee |
| 11 May 2016 | Carlos Gurpegi | Retired | |
| 30 July 2016 | Ibai Gómez | Alavés | Free |
| 30 August 2016 | Borja Viguera | Sporting Gijón | Undisclosed |
| 31 August 2016 | Kike Sola | Getafe | Loan |
| 30 November 2016 | Iago Herrerín | Leganés | Emergency loan |
| 25 January 2017 | Mikel Vesga | Sporting Gijón | Loan |
| 30 January 2017 | Kike Sola | Numancia | Loan |
| 31 January 2017 | Ager Aketxe | Cádiz | Loan |
| 2 May 2017 | Asier Villalibre | Numancia | Loan |

## Staff

According to the official website.
| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Ernesto Valverde |
| Assistant coach | Jon Aspiazu |
| Technical coaches | Carlos Gurpegi, Alberto Iglesias |
| Physical coaches | José Antonio Pozanco, Xabier Clemente |
| Goalkeeper coach | Aitor Iru |
| Representative | Andoni Imaz |
| Doctors | Josean Lekue, Paco Angulo |
| Masseur | Juan Manuel Ipiña |
| Physiotherapists | Álvaro Campa, Beñat Azula, Isusko Ortuzar |
| Podiatrist | Sergio Bilbao |
| Materials managers | Txetxu Gallego, Jon Eskalza, Iker López |

## Competitions
### Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| La Liga | 21 August 2016 | 21 May 2017 | Matchday 1 | 7th | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 050.00 |
| Europa League | 15 September 2016 | 23 February 2017 | Group stage | Round of 32 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 050.00 |
| Copa del Rey | 1 December 2016 | 11 January 2017 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 075.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 50 | 26 | 7 | 17 | 74 | 63 | +11 | 052.00 |
Source: Competitions

### La Liga

League table
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 5 | Villarreal | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 56 | 33 | +23 | 67 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 6 | Real Sociedad | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 59 | 53 | +6 | 64 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 7 | Athletic Bilbao | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round |
| 8 | Espanyol | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 49 | 50 | −1 | 56 | |
| 9 | Alavés | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 41 | 43 | −2 | 55 | |
* ↑ Since the winners of the 2016–17 Copa del Rey, Barcelona, qualified for European competition based on league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners (Europa League group stage) was passed to the sixth-placed team and the spot awarded to the sixth-placed team (Europa League third qualifying round) was passed to the seventh-placed team.

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Round by round
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | L | L | W | W | W | W | L | W | L | D | D | W | L | W | L | W | D | D | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | L | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | L | D | L |
| Position | 14 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |

#### Matches
### Copa del Rey

Round of 32
Round of 16

### UEFA Europa League
#### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Genk | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 12 | Advance to knockout phase |
| 2 | Athletic Bilbao | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 10 | Advance to knockout phase |
| 3 | Rapid Wien | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 6 | |
| 4 | Sassuolo | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 5 | |

#### Knockout phase

Round of 32