| Full name | Athletic Club Femenino B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2002; 23 years ago (2002) | ||
| Ground | Lezama (Field 8), Biscay, Spain | ||
| President | Jon Uriarte | ||
| Coach | Iraia Iturregi | ||
| League | Primera Federación | ||
| 2021–22 | Segunda División Pro, 10th (North Group) | ||
| Website | https://www.athletic-club.eus/en/teams/athletic-club-b/2019-20 | ||
Athletic Club Femenino B is a Spanishwomen's association football team based inBilbao, in the autonomous community of theBasque Country, Spain.
Founded in 2002, it is thereserve team ofAthletic Club Femenino, and currently plays in thePrimera Federación, playing their home matches at theLezama Facilities.
Reserve teams inSpain play in the same league system as the senior team, rather than in a reserve team league. They must play at least one level below their main side, and thus Athletic B are ineligible for promotion to thePrimera División and cannot play in theCopa de la Reina.
In 2002,Athletic Bilbao introduced awomen's section to their football activities, absorbing a local clubLeioa EFT. At the same time they introduced a women's reserve team (which had been established by Leioa the previous year)[1] with the aim of developing players for the senior side.
After a single season in theBasque provincial league, the B-team was promoted to the second tier – then known as thePrimera Nacional – where they remained for two decades, winning their regional group in the competition four times (most recently in2017)[2] but being ineligible for promotion.
Athletic B, whose players are usually between 16 and 21 years of age, are also regular participants in theCopa Vasca, a regional tournament for lower-league teams, and have won the trophy six times.
Below the reserve level Athletic have a C-team, introduced in 2019 and quickly promoted to the Basque provincial league,[3] and a girls'cadet (under-15) team, introduced in 2017 and competing at local youth level.[4] In common with all other teams fielded by the club, only players who meettheir recruitment policy of having a connection to the'greater Basque Country' are eligible to join.[5]
With the second tier re-organised in the early 2020s into two groups, then into just one, with a resultant uplift in the average standards (combined with general progress in the women's game in that period due to increasing investment and professionalisation), the teenagers of Athletic B began to find it difficult to remain competitive and it was no great surprise when they were finally relegated from the Primera Federación in2023–24;[6] this would have caused Athletic C to have been demoted, but they were also among the bottom places in their Segunda Federación group and would have dropped down in any event.
| Season | Division | Place | Copa Vasca[7][8] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Provincial | 5th[9] | |
| 2002–03 | Provincial | 3rd[10] |
| Season | Division | Place | Copa Vasca |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Primera Nac. | 7th[a][11] | Winners[12] |
| 2004–05 | Primera Nac. | 7th[a][13] | Winners[14] |
| 2005–06 | Primera Nac. | 3rd[a][15] | Group stage |
| 2006–07 | Primera Nac. | 3rd[16] | 2nd round |
| 2007-08 | Primera Nac. | 2nd[a][17] | Group stage |
| 2008-09 | Primera Nac. | 2nd[a][18] | Runners-up |
| 2009–10 | Primera Nac. | 1st[a][19] | Group stage |
| 2010–11 | Primera Nac. | 2nd[a][20] | Winners |
| 2011–12 | 2ª | 1st[b][21] | Runners-up |
| 2012–13 | 2ª | 5th[b][22] | Quarter-final |
| 2013–14 | 2ª | 1st[b][23] | Semi-final |
| 2014–15 | 2ª | 2nd[b] | Winners[24] |
| 2015–16 | 2ª | 3rd[b] | Quarter-final |
| 2016–17 | 2ª | 1st[a] | Runners-up[25] |
| 2017–18 | 2ª | 2nd[b] | Winners[26] |
| 2018–19 | 2ª | 4th[a][c] | Winners[27] |
| 2019–20 | 2ª Pro | 1st[d][e] | |
| 2020–21 | 2ª Pro | 7th[f]/3rd[g] | |
| 2021–22 | 2ª Pro | 10th[d] | |
| 2022–23 | 1ª Fed | 11th | |
| 2023–24 | 1ª Fed | 13th |
Note: this list contains players who have appeared in at least 50 games for thefirst team or another top-level club. Current players inbold.
| Name | Senior Debut | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Arene Altonaga | 2009 | [28] |
| Ainhoa Álvarez | 2014 | [29] |
| Paula Arana | 2021 | [30] |
| Joana Arranz | 2011 | [31] |
| Ane Azkona | 2016 | [32] |
| Naiara Beristain | 2009 | [33] |
| Damaris Egurrola | 2015 | [34] |
| Sheila Elorza | 2015 | [35] |
| Joana Flaviano | 2007 | [36] |
| Alazne Gómez | 2012 | [37] |
| Oihane Hernández | 2019 | [38] |
| Jone Ibáñez | 2015 | [39] |
| Eztizen Merino | 2012 | [40] |
| Garazi Murua | 2010 | [41] |
| Irune Murua | 2003 | [42] |
| Irene Oguiza | 2020 | [43] |
| Maite Oroz | 2015 | [44][45] |
| Arrate Orueta | 2003 | [46] |
| Marta Perea | 2015 | [47] |
| Amaiur Sarriegi | 2019 | [48] |
| Andrea Sierra | 2016 | [49][45] |
| Maddi Torre | 2015 | [50] |
| Oihane Valdezate | 2019 | [51] |
| Leia Zarate | 2016 | [52] |
| Other teams |
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|---|---|
| Home stadium | |
| Training ground | |
| Affiliated Clubs | |
| Related articles | |
| Rivalries |
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