Mikel Vesga wears the number six jersey for Athletic Club. The Vitorian midfielder begins his sixth season with this number, almost since arriving in the first team after two loans at Sporting Gijón and Leganés.
After Mikel San José’s contract was not renewed by the Bilbao club, Vesga inherited the number 6, a number he still holds. From Mikel to Mikel, as the expression goes. On the day of his debut at El Molinón, Valverde replaced San José with him. What a coincidence.
Vesga wore three other numbers at Athletic: 12, 21 and 16. The gasteiztarra is currently losing momentum with Txingurri. The emergence of Prados and Jauregizar has put him on the back burner, meaning he will have to wait for his moment to become key again, as he was in the Copa final against Mallorca. His entry in the second half changed the dynamic of the match, and he was one of the players to score in the decisive penalty shootout. And although his shot was slightly slippery, it was crucial. A real savior, but hey, it was welcome.
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Let’s get straight to the point, as the great Joaquín Caparrós would say before an interview. Which Athletic player do you associate with number 6? For me it is clear: Josu Urrutia. He was one of my footballing weaknesses, probably because I played in a similar position to Lekeitio, and I admired his understanding of the game, going so far as to become the president of Athletic Club.
A midfield distributor. Passing balls and tackling. A very necessary player to help others shine. Those who are said to do the “dirty” work.
Another red and white number 6 who shone in this position and with these characteristics was the great Miguel de Andrés. The midfielder of the leagues and cup that Athletic won against Barcelona. Javier Clemente’s right-hand man in this midfield. What a shame that injuries hampered the Navarrese’s career when he was destined to shine even more in football.
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Other notable names include Patxi Rípodas and Mikel San José, who have also worn the number 6 in Athletic’s history. David Billabona also wore it for a season, winning an Olympic gold medal with Spain in Barcelona while wearing this number.
Other lions who have sported this number for Athletic include Óscar Vales, Endika Bordas, Josu Sarriegi, Xabi Etxeita and Joseba Del Olmo. The latter had a more offensive profile but, like Toquero with the 2 or Bermejo with the 3, was assigned a number better suited to a midfielder than to an attacker.
Today’s match against Ludogorets could be a good opportunity for Mikel Vesga to move into midfield. With the qualification of the Reds and Whites seemingly secure, the current objective is to enter the top eight to avoid the play-off phase of the 1/16 finals. Valverde can and should rotate players ahead of what we hope will be a demanding season.
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It is true that it is a week with two games (the lions have a League commitment on Sunday against Valladolid) and that a new international break is coming, but it is vital that players like Vesga get minutes to be ready in case injuries or suspensions among their teammates.
The song says: “I can’t live without you, Mikel Vesga.” The reality is that Valverde is getting by without him, at least as a starter. We’ll see if that changes. This is not something that will happen overnight.
