According to Spanish newspaper El Correo, Athletic Bilbao president Jon Uriarte has not officially met with the first-team players, and the players believe that face-to-face communication is a crucial step to resolving the current internal conflict.

Spanish Media: Athletic Bilbao's Internal Relations Tense as Some Players Harbor Years of Discontent with President

The dressing room initially expected Uriarte to meet with the players this week, following an incident in which the team refused to give media interviews after the away match against Barcelona. However, no such meeting has taken place. Athletic Bilbao will face Atlético Madrid on Saturday, and scheduling a meeting the day before the match is far from ideal. Therefore, Thursday was nearly the most suitable window, had Uriarte chosen not to postpone it further.

Deputy captain Unai Simón previously revealed in Vigo that players were hoping to meet with Uriarte before the Barcelona match, but it ultimately did not happen. He said at the time: "We wanted to meet with the president, but he couldn't make it."

The report states that Uriarte not only failed to meet with the captain but also did not travel with the team to Barcelona, further fueling player dissatisfaction. The players wanted direct communication with the club's top authority, but ultimately only received information through general manager Jon Berasategi. It was Berasategi who informed the players that the club would be canceling the complimentary tickets they previously enjoyed for every match.

The players were highly dissatisfied with this and ultimately chose not to give media interviews after the Barcelona match.

However, Simón emphasized that the dressing room does not want an open confrontation with club management but rather hopes to resolve the issue internally. He said: "It's better to discuss it internally and let everyone voice their thoughts."

Nevertheless, according to sources close to the dressing room, tensions between the two sides remain very high.

This conflict is not solely about player tickets. Both Iñaki Williams and Unai Simón have previously emphasized that player discontent stems from an accumulation of various internal actions over the past several seasons.

One point of contention is the reduction in services at the Lezama training facility. The report states that some first-team staff members can no longer eat for free and must pay for their own meals. Players have even considered pooling funds to cover meal costs for these staff members.

Similar adjustments have also affected the women's team and reserve team. There are reports that some buffet items have been cut, and the catering service now offered is cheaper and considered lower quality than before. Additionally, some staff working with the women's team players have lost their free meal rights, and youth academy coaches lost certain free meals several seasons ago.

Simón commented on this: "This is an internal club matter—small details that have accumulated over the past few seasons, and it's not just our issue. The outside world has made a fuss about the tickets, but we're willing to pay for them ourselves."

He also emphasized: "This doesn't only affect the players, but also the staff and women's team players. It would be good for everyone to sit down and talk."

Currently, the players are considering their next steps, as they are also aware that the public generally interpreted their refusal to be interviewed in Barcelona as "protesting the cancellation of free tickets," which has damaged their public image.

For Uriarte, this situation also carries risk. The report states that the public generally supports the decision to cancel free tickets, but if the president and dressing room remain in a prolonged open conflict, it is not an ideal situation for the club.

Athletic Bilbao's cost-cutting measures have not only affected first-team players. According to El Correo's earlier exclusive report, each first-team player previously had 6 complimentary tickets per match, but this privilege has now been canceled. This has also affected former presidents, former players, club employees, retired employees, and management members.

Additionally, the number of match tickets allocated for visiting teams has been reduced to 25, which is the minimum number allowed by La Liga regulations.

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