Lezama Facilities

Lezama Facilities
An aerial view of the complex, 2019
Map
AddressBarrio Garaioltza, 147, 48196
LocationLezama, Basque Country
OwnerAthletic Bilbao
TypeFootball training ground
Construction
Built1971
Tenants
Athletic Bilbao (training) (1971–present)
Athletic Bilbao B (1971–present)
Athletic Bilbao cantera (1971–present)
Athletic Club Femenino (2002–present)
Athletic Club Femenino B (2002–present)
Amorebieta (2021–2022; 2023–present)
Website
Lezama Facilities

The Lezama Facilities (Basque: Lezamako Kirol-instalakuntzak, Spanish: Instalaciones de Lezama), are the training ground and academy of the Primera Division club Athletic Bilbao. Located in the village of Lezama, around 10–15 kilometers east of Bilbao, the facilities were opened in 1971 and currently cover 13 hectares (130,000 square meters).[1][2][3] Athletic's academy is often referred to metonymically as Lezama.

Lezama hosts the Athletic men's first team for training and the league matches of the Liga F club Athletic Club Femenino, as well as the youth teams of the Athletic cantera (academy): the men's reserve team, the women's reserve team, the junior teams (ages 17–19), the cadet teams (ages 15–16), the youngster teams (ages 13–14), and the children's teams (ages 11–12).[4]

In June 2021, the facilities also became the temporary home ground of Segunda División newcomers SD Amorebieta, as Amorebieta's stadium Urritxe did not meet league requirements.[5] The arrangement was repeated in 2023–24 when Amorebieta was re-promoted to the Segunda Division.[6]

  1. ^ "Lezama | Lezama Training Centre | Athletic Club Official Website". www.athletic-club.eus. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Tribute to Lezama". www.athletic-club.eus. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Athletic Club: a way of life". www.athletic-club.eus. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  4. ^ Alex Clapham (30 October 2018). "How does Athletic Bilbao's academy manage to produce 85% of their team?". Caño Football. Retrieved 24 February 2019 – via The Guardian.
  5. ^ "La Sociedad Deportiva Amorebieta disputará en Lezama sus partidos como local de LaLiga SmartBank" [Sociedad Deportiva Amorebieta will play at Lezama their home matches in the LaLiga SmartBank] (in Spanish). SD Amorebieta. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Alerta en Bilbao: Los campos de San Mamés y Lezama preocupan en el club". Relevo (in Spanish). 1 January 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.