dothestrand

I've started a Lezama only save. Having won a third title in six years and with a couple of dozen of youngsters developed internally or poached from other academies, I've decided to restart, more realistically, and to build a homegrown squad. I'll be focussing on holding the current squad together, developing the new intake through the different squads before reaching the first team by the time they're 21 or so, and maybe bringing former youngsters back (but that would be a last option). More in line with how Athletic Club operate in the real world, rather than exploiting the abundance of tale

How good is Alvaro Fernandez? Or Ivan Martinez? A step down sure but significantly so? I'd sell for that amount, it's silly money.

Hmm, OK we were playing the Faroe Island champions in CL qualifying but....

After a long hiatus, I've returned to this save. The 2022-23 season was another double, comfortably ahead of Hajduk in the league. Knocked out of the CL in the last qualifying round by Young Boys. Faced Lille, Celtic and Zorya in the EURO Cup after beating APOEL in the play-offs. Qualified in second but faced Milan in the knockouts so didn't really have a chance there. The strategy is still buying young 'Yugoslavian' talents and building a melting-pot side that can compete in Europe. As much as I'd like to keep the squad together, I've decided to be realistic and sell for good profits onc

I think the lowest ranked side you can manage might be Kosovo. You're relying on players developing in Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia with second nationality and willing to switch to a lower ranked side, but their squad should have some good promise - Muric, Rrahmani, Vojvoda, Berisha, Zhegrova, Muriqi, Rashica, etc.

That's amazing, my 'golden generations' usually only comprise 2-3 players of serious potential. How good are the guys with 2* ratings already?

Gosh, how good is he? I've never had a huge bid for any of my players. After a few seasons I only sell players I want rid of.

2025-26 season over and we won the title by 4pts, ahead of Valencia in 2nd. Barcelona and Real were 3rd/4th respectively. Strange season really. Only four players averaging over 7.0 - when you look at the players by average rating, Atletico Madrid has SIX of the top twenty players and still finished 5th! I guess we show up for the crunch matches and otherwise play a lot of mediocre football to beat lesser teams! No real signings - just Basque regens as always. Nolaskoian's moved on and Vencedor is about to - probably the last of the 'run of the mill' originals. Simon, Yeray, Nunez and Wil

I sometimes get Basque second nationality players who were not born in the Basque country but elsewhere in Spain. I've one in my u19 who was born in Madrid, started in Real's academy and I signed him at 18. So the game must factor in some form of 'raised in the Basque country' before he existed in the game!

I think I'll do a second Athletic save at some point, where I will do Lezama only. You're right, every April, you just spend your time hoovering up the talent from other youth intakes.

Between the Basque youth academies (yours, Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Eibar, Alaves), you'd be fine.

@ernemann Gosh, I wouldn't turn that money down, though you shouldn't need it! And crazy to need 102 pts to win the title! I've got a youth player here I'm struggling to work out what to do with. He's a natural striker but doesn't have the technical ability to be a regular option there (plus I have strikers aplenty already). He can play wide right, but again I don't really need him there. I am weaker in CM but again, how long can I wait to improve those technical stats? As you can see, he is a wonderkid and has a high value, so whilst I can't work out what to do with him, I don't want to

He usually had good loan spells but didn't develop enough to be a first teamer. Always had better regens for squad depth. Sold him to Elche for around 5m after a couple of seasons.

Replacing Garitano with Marcelino seems to have made a huge difference already!

I lucked out with Serrano. He's about as good as in @ernemann game. I play him as an AML but could easily do a fine job as a striker. I sold my Artola fairly early. My scouts rate him but I've always had better options with Williams, Navarro, Barrenetxea and various regens.