Basque-ing in Bilbao

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DECEMBER

Bilbao win FIFA Club World Cup by using their backup players mostly
Bilbao get Genoa in Champions League knockout round
Confederations Cup draw sees Spain get Ghana, Germany and South Korea

A very good month all round as we won every game and scored a load of goals. Aitor Herrera continues to dazzle - he has 16 assists in the league already and he is 8 away from setting a new record. He is also 20 league goals away away from being the clubs all time leading league scorer.

Celta Vigo 0-4 Athletic Bilbao
Ayechu 2, Perez Villarroya, Herrera

UEFA Champions League Group H
Werder Bremen 0-2 Athletic Bilbao
Herrera, Garmendia

Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Alaves
Hondo N'Dongo, Garmendia, Ayechu 2

FIFA Club World Cup SF
America (MEX) 1-5 Athletic Bilbao
Gomez Comas, Gutierrez 2(1pen), Sanz, Damia

Final
Vasco da Gama 1-4 Athletic Bilbao
Toni 2, Sanz, Gomez Comas

Copa del Rey 5th Round 1st Leg
Athletic Bilbao 3-0 Cadiz
Damia, Gutierrez 2(1pen)

Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Sporting Gijon
Perez Villarroya, Herrera

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
AITOR HERRERA
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KLIPPYBO said:

Aitor Herrera continues to dazzle - he has 16 assists in the league already and he is 8 away from setting a new record. He is also 20 league goals away away from being the clubs all time leading league scorer.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
AITOR HERRERA
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Click to expand...

Just when you think you have seen the best of him he comes out and starts having a season like this! There will never be another Aitor! I am guessing he is a club legend on the game?
 
stevenUK1 said:
Just when you think you have seen the best of him he comes out and starts having a season like this! There will never be another Aitor! I am guessing he is a club legend on the game?
Click to expand...

Yeah - been a legend for years and years. Other regen players who are legends are Sanz, Garcia and Alfredo while Izurza is already an icon
 
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JANUARY

For the first time in years Herrera doesnt win the world player awards - Redaelli does
Bilbao lose to Real Madrid despite taking the lead
Aguero already sacked as manager of Sevilla after just a couple of months
u19 side wins Champions Cup for only the 2nd time

After thumping everyone last month this month was trickier. The highlight was the match v Sevilla where we were a goal and a man down with 15min left - I made 3 subs and all 3 scored! We were poor versus Real Madrid who beat Barca the previous week also to drag themselves back into the title race.

Armando Redaelli won both World Player of the Year awards thus ending Herrera's dominance of them after winning them for the last dozen years. More bad news is that Garmendia is out for a couple of months so Toni will get a load of starts.

The final of the Copa del Rey will be between ourselves and our great rivals Real Sociedad.

Copa del Rey 5th Round 2nd Leg
Cadiz 2-2 Athletic Bilbao
Ayechu, Sanz

Copa del Rey QF 1st Leg
Malaga 0-1 Athletic Bilbao
Izurza

Sevilla 1-3 Athletic Bilbao
Valcarcel, Damia, Toni

Copa del Rey QF 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Malaga
Gutierrez, Sanz 2

Real Madrid 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Izurza

Copa del Rey SF 1st Leg
Real Betis 1-2 Athletic Bilbao
Mete (og), Perez Villarroya

Real Sociedad 0-2 Athletic Bilbao
Ayechu, Izurza

Copa del Rey SF 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Real Betis
Herrera, Alfredo, Ayechu

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
SERGIO AYECHU
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Hello peeps - been thinking that I will post screenshots of every player just before the 1st game of next season as been a while since I have done a "Meet the team" post and I have a few gems to share that you wont have seen!

Also I am nearing 20 years so will get that steam achievement! (2 more full seasons to go).

Finally - and this will sound crazy/perverted/whatever - but I am longing for a decent regen to come through my ranks with the surname Herrera so I can pretend he is my, I mean Aitors child! lol. If he came through this year Aitor would have been 16 or 17 when he sewed his oats so it would work! lol. To be fair Izurza has been just as good as Herrera at the same age if not better but he is under Aitors shadow ever so slightly along with the rest of the world bar Armando Redaelli.

Soon be March to find out - in early February as I write this
 
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FEBRUARY

10 man Bilbao battle to victory over Atletico Madrid
Bilbao open up a 8pt lead at the top
Bilbao have 4 goals disallowed in 2 games!
Spain throw away a 2 goal lead against Scotland

Tough month but we extended our lead at the top so we did well. Got two late goals against Deportivo and then against Atletico Torres got sent off after 5min so I chucked Aitor up front and he scored immediately!

Against Genoa we had 2 goals chalked off while te same happened again against Oviedo but this time both were scored by Alfredo thus denying him a much needed hat-trick!

Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Deportivo La Coruna
Ayechu, Hondo N'Dongo

Atletico Madrid 1-2 Athletic Bilbao
Herrera, Sanz

UEFA Champions League 1st Round 1st Leg
Genoa 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Hondo N'Dongo

Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Xerez
Gutierrez

Real Oviedo 1-3 Athletic Bilbao
Alfredo, Izurza, Perez Villarroya

Granada 3-5 Athletic Bilbao
Perez Villarroya 2, Valcarcel, Vidal 2(2ogs)

Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Real Valladolid
Alfredo, Izurza

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
GASPAR PEREZ VILLARROYA
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SPAIN

Friendly

Spain 2-2 Scotland
Garcia 2
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MARCH

Bilbao through in Europe to play Lyon
Shock defeat suffered against Real Zaragoza
Bilbao beat Barca with weakend side
Spain beat Turkey in qualifiers

Plodding along here. Not banging in the goals but maybe thats because the games are coming thick and fast. Had a horrible performance against Zaragoza as we failed to score in the league for the first time in 72 games. But we bounced back against Barcelona with a fine win.

Our youth intake was pretty shocking. Only 1 contract was offered and he will be lucky to break into the B team!

Real Betis 0-2 Athletic Bilbao
Alfredo 2

UEFA Champions League 1st Round 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Genoa
Perez Villarroya, Herrera, Torres

Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Real Oviedo
Alfredo, Izurza

Malaga 0-2 Athletic Bilbao
Izurza, Toni

Athletic Bilbao 4-1 Cadiz
Hondo N'Dongo, Herrera, Alfredo 2

Real Zaragoza 1-0 Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao 3-0 Barcelona
Alfredo, Torres, Vinas (pen)

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
ALFREDO
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SPAIN

World Cup Quals Group 4

Spain 2-0 Turkey
Hondo N'Dongo, Ayechu
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Love the story, it seem's like after skimming through you have been very successful :)
 
Just read through all 79 pages, and I really love this story. You are a true FM God, and what you have achieved with Athletic Bilbao is truly amazing. What will you do the day Aitor Herrera retire? Surely your life must feel empty without him.
Waiting for your next update now ;)
 
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(Bilbao youth team)

APRIL

Bilbao clinch another league title with win over Sevilla
Herrera breaks Liga BBVA record for assists in a season
Dutch scout Numan goes to Barca for £1.4m - replaced by Van Persie
Alfredo and De la Torre suffer injuries while Garmendia returns

Champions! Got some decent wins with a few goals going in for good measure. Quite confident that we will go through in the Champions League also, what with the home leg being at home.

Armando Redaelli is having a poor season - 74 goals with 3 games left - 4 if Barca get to the Champions League final.

UEFA Champions League QF 1st Leg
Lyon 0-1 Athletic Bilbao
Joon-Ki (og)

Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Valencia
Alfredo 2

UEFA Champions League QF 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Lyon
Perez Villarroya, Alfredo

Elche 1-3 Athletic Bilbao
Toni, Torres, Ayechu

Athletic Bilbao 5-1 Celta Vigo
Ayechu, Hondo N'Dongo, Vinas (pen), Herrera, Izurza

Alaves 1-3 Athletic Bilbao
Ayechu, Damia, Vega (og)

UEFA Champions League SF 1st Leg
Bayern Munich 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Vinas (pen)

Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Sevilla
Hondo N'Dongo 2, Herrera, Gutierrez

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
OCEANO HONDO N'DONGO
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A Bilbao V Barca, Herrera v Redaelli on the biggest stage of them all, Dont let us down now!
 
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MAY - END OF SEASON

Bilbao v Barca, Herrera v Redaelli = thriller
Copa del Rey won in derby final
Unbeaten home run continues thanks to last minute goal
Herrera takes both Spanish Player of the Year awards

A good end to the season. Firstly we drew with Real Madrid despite fielding an under strength side to keep our home run going - Ayechu scored a last minute equaliser. We dominated the cup final with Izurza assisting all 3 goals.

In the Champions League final we went ahead before Barca equalised. Alfredo put us in front again but Redaelli levelled and then had a late goal disallowed. In extra time we were the better side and Aitor Herrera scored what proved to be the winner from a free kick.

The end of year awards was farcical - Redaelli probably should have won some but his name isnt Aitor Herrera and how Izurza, Ruiz or Torres didnt get young player of the year is beyond me.

UEFA Champions League SF 2nd Leg
Athletic Bilbao 4-1 Bayern Munich
Izurza 3(1pen), Alfredo

Sporting Gijon 2-3 Athletic Bilbao
Toni, Herrera 2

Athletic Bilbao 2-2 Real Madrid
Gomez Comas, Ayechu

Copa del Rey Final
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Real Sociedad
Alfredo, Perez Villarroya 2

UEFA Champions League Final
Athletic Bilbao 3-2 Barcelona (aet)
Alfredo 2, Herrera

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
AITOR HERRERA
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SPAIN

World Cup Quals Group 4

Spain 4-0 Luxembourg
Herrera, Garcia 2, Izurza

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Confederations Cup

Group B

Spain 1-2 Germany
Demuth (og)

Ghana 0-1 Spain
Gomez

Spain 1-1 South Korea
Hondo N'Dongo

Semi-Final
Spain 1-1 Brazil (aet)
Perez Villarroya
(AET Brazil won 3-1 on pens)

3RD Place Play-Off
Germany 0-2 Spain
Perez Villarroya, Garcia

Pretty poor performance all round in this tournament in which USA surprised everyone by getting to the final and even knocking out the hosts Italy. Perez Villarroya got player of the tournament though and Garcia has now reached 100 goals for Spain.​
 
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ATHLETIC BILBAO 2029-30 FIRST TEAM SQUAD
Goalkeepers


View attachment 253384
DAVID
Signed from Barcelona for £1.3m
Apps - 623

World class keeper who has twice asked for a new challenge and twice has been talked round. Have his replacement in the u19s though so I might let him go in a season or too.

View attachment 253383
JESUS
Signed from Salamanca for £750,000

Decent back up keeper who could probably do with a season or two in the B team but somebody has to watch David play every week so it might as well be Jesus!

Defenders

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IGNACIO BARRENETXEA
Apps - 43

Backup full back who can also do a job on the left. My assistant for Spain is always wanting me to call him up but I dont see why myself.

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JON BERGARA
Signed from Racing Santander for £375,000
Apps - 88

A good left back who I will call up for the national team sooner or later. Probably be first choice for most other teams.

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ANGEL DE LA TORRE
Signed from Real Betis for £2.5m
Apps - 499
Goals - 5

World class full back who has been first choice left back for years. Has asked to leave for a new challenge once.

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OCEANO HONDO N'DONGO
Signed from Malaga for £1m
Apps - 325
Goals - 64

A great centre half who always pops up with a few goals during the season - his best tally so far is 15 in a season.

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GONTZAL RUIZ
Signed from Osasuna for £150,000
Apps - 189
Goals - 7

One of my favourite players and probably the 2nd best bargain I have had. A world class defender who has just turned 21 and is my first choice right back.

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ALBERT TORRES
Signed from Chelsea for £2m
Apps - 81
Goals - 8

Still developing as he is just about to turn 19. This wonderkid had attracted bids from Barcelona in the summer but were rebuffed. Going to be around a long time. First choice cb for me but backup for the national team.

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ANDER VALCARCEL
Apps - 161
Goals - 27

Good centre half who was even in the C team for a while which goes to show that if you plummet that far down you can still climb all the way up to the top. Backup for the national team also.


Midfielders

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ABEL
Signed from Atletico Madrid for £1.6m
Apps - 53

Potentially great player but prefers to play as a defensive midfielder so might not get the best out of him. Backup for Vinas.

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DAMIA
Signed from Barcelona for £1.8m
Apps - 59
Goals - 4

Breakthough year was last year and this ex wonderkid looks as though he will be around for a while. Backup midfielder who has managed to skip the B team.

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UNAI GARMENDIA
Signed from Izarra for £1,500
Apps - 205
Goals - 38

My best bargain of all time surely. World class midfielder who had injury problems last year. Still quite young and will be a fixture in the side for years to come yet. Edged out Santano in the national side too.

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JOSE LUIS GAUNA
Signed from Lyon for £3m

Pre-season signing who you wont have seen yet. Has potential and interestingly despite being Basque can not play for Spain yet.


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JAUME GUTIERREZ
Signed from Espanyol for £2.5m
Apps - 166
Goals - 37

Fantastic attacking midfielder who is also backup for Spain - usually plays on the wing for me. Could maybe get to be first choice when you know who retires but we will see!

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AITOR HERRERA
Apps - 726
Goals - 331

I may have someone called Jesus in my squad but this guy is the real thing. Will surely become the clubs all time leading scorer in the league and despite just turning 33 he is first choice for club and country and hopefully I can get another 3 years first team football off him but we will see. Club legend obviously.

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JOSE LUIS IZURZA
Apps - 247
Goals - 81

The 2nd best player to come through my ranks and is a world class player. Only 22 and became the club and leagues youngest scorer when he scored a hat-trick at the age of 15. Plays right wing for club and country. Club icon.

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GASPAR PEREZ VILLARROYA
Signed form Barcelona for £9m
Apps - 469
Goals - 115

World class player who plays left wing for me. Has asked for a new challenge twice but no dice! lol. Got a good few years in him left but if he asks to leave again and I cant talk him round Gutierrez is ready and waiting to come in.

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TONI
Signed from Sporting Gijon for £325,000
Apps - 54
Goals - 9

Breakthough year was last year after getting promoted from the B team. Comes in when Garmendia is injured and performs well when called upon. Will probably get capped in the near future.

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JUAN PEDRO VINAS
Signed from Sevilla for £5m
Apps - 173
Goals - 16

Fantastic young player who replaced Cidoncha. Is my first choice penalty taker and he must think I dont like him because he is the only first pick in my starting eleven who doesnt get called up for Spain every time!


Forwards

View attachment 253421
INAKI ALCALDE
Signed from Celta Vigo for £1m
Apps - 8

This is his first year with the big boys! Looks a good prospect although will probably get most of his games in midfield if I am honest. Will see how it goes but I have high hopes.

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ALFREDO
Signed from Real Madrid for £7.5m
Apps - 329
Goals - 172

Great striker who has only been first choice for a couple of years thanks to Fermin Garcia who he is still back up too for the national team. Club legend - surprisingly so in my eyes.

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SERGIO AYECHU
Apps - 91
Goals - 44

Has had a great rise the past year or two and has just started 49 times so his scoring record is very good. Always thought he had potential but he has done far better than I thought he would do. When I took over the B team I played him as an AMC but is Alfredo's back up in the first team. Good record for Spain also.

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JOSE CARLOS SANZ
Signed from Villarreal for £2m
Apps - 479
Goals - 175

Spent his whole career bar 2 months with us and has never been first choice. Usually comes in when Herrera is out but probably not this season coming. Club legend.


WILL POST B/U19 TEAM PLAYERS LATER
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Where was that Oceano Hondongo Bongo (or whatever his name is) born?
 
TOP 5 B TEAM PLAYERS

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UNAI VILLAR
Apps - 16 (for 1st team)

This is going to be his first season in the B team so hopefully the higher level of football will see an even bigger increase in his stats.

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VICTOR GAMEZ
Signed from Malaga for £1.2m
Apps - 13
Goals - 2

Was a toss up between this lad or Alcalde to be in the first team this year and Alcalde won - mainly because he is a couple of years younger.

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INAKI BAKERO
Signed from Racing Santander for £28,000

Got high hopes for this player who will be playing his first season with the B team this year. Thinking he will be Valcarcel's replacement in the future as backup CB.

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DAVID CRIVILLE
Signed from Salamanca for £1.1m
Apps - 5

Probably unlucky not to be in the first team but I have plenty of talent that plays in CM/AMC there already. Maybe when Sanz goes he will get called up but we will see.

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MANUEL BILBAO
Apps - 5
Goals - 2

Been 3 or 4 years since he featured in the first team but he is a decent player. His time may have passed for the first team but his surname alone warrants special mention.

SCREENIES OF THE REST AND OF THE C TEAM
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TOP 6 U19 PLAYERS

View attachment 253582
FRANCISCO PINILLOS
Signed from Murcia for £375,000

A very good prospect who I hope to see replace David in goal in the future. Having said that this next lad might..........

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DAVID IRIONDO
Signed from Atletico Madrid for £1m

Like Pinillos, Iriondo is a great prospect whom I would like to see feature in the first team eventually.

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ROGELIO
Signed from Tenerife for £825,000

Just signed and I have ear-marked him as De la Torre's long term replacement.

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JAVIER ARAMENDIA
Apps - 1

My assistant Roberto Carlos gives Aramendia the highest rating for potential out of all my u19 players. Will be tough to break through as on the right I have Izurza, Damia, Gutierrez and Alcalde already so he will have to develop a bit more yet!

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JOSE ALBERTO EXPOSITO
Signed from Melilla for £75,000
Apps - 1

Hopefully he will kick on this year and develop his stats as I think he could turn into a decent player. With Sanz and Herrera getting on there is going to be 2 places up for grabs in the squad. There is a big queue to get in though!

View attachment 253587
ALEJANDRO DIAZ
Signed from Granada for £2m
Apps - 2

Good prospect with the only problem being that my two defensive minded midfielders in the first team squad are really young too and are much better!

THE REST
(still some decent ones in here)
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SO WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? - DO I THINK SOMEONE IS BETTER THAN THEY REALLY ARE OR AM I NOT SEEING HOW GOOD SOMEONE IS - PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK​
 
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(pre season training)

PRE-SEASON - AUGUST

Bilbao thrash Sevilla in first league game of the season
David misses first few weeks of the season
Stalwart Jon Alonso is released
Inaki Bergara is new gk coach
Spain draw with Norway

AIMS
Once again I would like to return to the days of unbeaten league campaigns

PLAYERS IN
A couple came in - Blasco, Gauna and Rogelio being the most notable (see squad profile in previous post for screenie).
TOTAL SPENT: £4.6m

PLAYERS OUT
Roberto Gomez (250/40) finally left permanently to Napoli for £4.9m while Pedro Gomez Comas (231/57) left for Espanyol for £5.75m. Pedro Salazar was one player who got released but the most notable was Jon Alonso who upon being released retired to become a youth coach at Barca. Alonso came through the youth ranks along with Herrera and made 358 appearances and scored 4 goals. He was also capped ten times for Spain.
TOTAL INCOME: £11.5m

SUMMARY
Guana and Alcalde come into the first team squad and will feature occasionally and will hopefully develop. The first eleven remains the same and hopefully Aitor wont decrease too much!

Spanish Super Cup Final 1st Leg
Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Real Sociedad
Ayechu 2, Toni 2

Athletic Bilbao 5-0 Sevilla
Herrera, Perez Villarroya, Alfredo, Izurza, Damia

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SPAIN

Friendly

Norway 2-2 Spain
Sanden (og), Herrera
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