The end of a long journey.. Valverde leaves Bilbao at the end of the season

The technical director of Athletic Bilbao, Ernesto Valverde, announced that his journey with the team will come to an end at the end of the 2025-2026 season, marking the end of a long and distinguished career on the bench at San Mames Stadium.This decision came through an official statement issued by the club, during which Valverde explained that the move was not a surprise, but rather came after deep thought and prior discussions with the club’s management, stressing that the announcement was made at this time. It aims to give the management sufficient time to plan for the next season and arrange the next stage.Despite the confirmation of his departure, the veteran coach stressed that his focus is still fully focused on the remaining matches of this season, as he pointed out that the team still has several important confrontations ahead of it during which it seeks to achieve the best possible results, and end the season in a way worthy of the club and its fans.Valverde is considered one of the most prominent names in the history of the Basque club, as he holds the record as the coach who has led the most matches with Bilbao succeeded, during its various periods, in consolidating the team’s competitive identity and bringing it back to the forefront locally and on the continent.With the end of the season approaching, Bilbao’s fans are preparing to bid farewell to their coach in a special atmosphere inside the “San Mames” stadium, in appreciation of his generous years of giving, at a time when speculation has begun to mount about the identity of the next coach, as the name of Andoni Iraola, the current Bournemouth coach, emerges as one of the most prominent candidates to succeed him next season.