Galarreta blows out 33 candles on his final rest day

Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta turns 33 today, Wednesday, August 6th, on the final day of the five days off that Edin Terzic has granted the Athletic Club squad before returning to work at Lezama tomorrow. The midfielder will be able to enjoy the celebration with his people during this final stretch of rest.

The rojiblanco «engine» faces a new season under the German coach's direction after getting through the last one personally, though the build-up of effort following Prados' injury caused him to lose power. The numbers reveal he played much more than perceived: he was unavailable in just 3 of the 52 matches Athletic played across all competitions, accumulating 2,744 minutes that position him as the seventh most-used player.

Galarreta enters his final contract year. «I'm feeling good, wanting to continue many more years and hopefully here at Athletic», he said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo in March. With Canales' arrival and the recovery of players like Rego, the pressure on the Eibar native should ease in a campaign where Terzic seeks a team with midfield control and short-passing football.