Ernesto Valverde, coach of Athletic Bilbao, expressed his concern about the physical condition of Moroccan striker Marwan Sanadi, with the approaching start of the 2025-2026 season in which the team is looking to compete for advanced centers locally and European, especially with its expected participation in the Champions League.
What is the reason for Valverde’s concern about Marwan Sanadi?
Valverde confirmed, in comments reported by the Spanish newspaper “Estadio Deportivo”, that the delay in the recovery of Sanadi is due to his strong physical structure that makes the restoration of his fitness take longer compared to his colleagues, such as Robert Navarro. He explained that the player suffers from a mild muscle discomfort that prevented his full involvement in group exercises during the first preparatory period.
“We expect him to improve gradually, we will see how he will adapt to the team’s coordination. Now we have enough time to monitor him and help him regain his readiness.”
How does Valverde see the future of Sanadi next season?
Despite physical reservations, Valverde stressed that the technical staff is betting on Sanadi to be one of the influential papers during the new season, noting that the player was engaged directly in the matches during the last season without passing a suitable preparation period, which affected his scoring level.
“We hope that the efforts made last year will be fruitful, and that he will be able to provide a greater addition this season,” Valverde said.
Sanadi’s numbers with Athletic Bilbao last season
Marwan Sanadi participated in 22 games during the last season 2024-2025 in all competitions, during which he scored one goal against Valladolid, and presented 3 decisive passes. Despite the weak scoring numbers, the player showed promising artistic glimpses on more than one occasion, which made him keep the technical staff’s confidence.
Does Sanadi succeed in restoring his level?
The current preparation period is decisive for the future of Sanadi with Bilbao, as it is expected to be a watershed station to determine its ability to adapt to Valverde plans, and to compete for a basic place in the squad that is preparing for continental participation, especially in light of the presence of more than an offensive competitor in the team.
