Irudek Bidasoa Irun has ended its season, despite a heavy defeat (17-37) against Barça in the Copa del Rey final. Overall, the season has been good, satisfying, and encouraging. The team finished fourth in the League, three points ahead of last season and just one point behind the runner-up. In the Cup, they had a solid run, defeating teams like Ángel Ximénez Puente Genil, Torrelavega, and Huesca, which has allowed them to secure a European spot, a dream for any Asobal team.
Along with Barça, Bidasoa has been the only club to repeat its presence in the Copa de España. Furthermore, alongside Granollers, they are one of the three teams that have juggled both League and European competitions this season, playing 14 more matches than the league runner-up.
In the EHF European League, they reached the penultimate round of the Main Round with options. They competed among top teams such as Flensburg, Kiel, and Montpellier. Their only regret is not securing at least one significant victory, despite coming very close.
The end of last season, the first under coach Álex Mozas, was painful. After reaching the quarter-finals of the second continental competition for the first time in nearly 20 years, they lost to Melsungen at home. Subsequently, they lost a crucial match for the league runner-up title and failed to secure the European ticket.
This season, the team has shown a significant improvement in accumulating points against non-European opponents, which proved costly last year. They have secured seven out of a possible eight points against these same rivals, demonstrating clear progress.
In early March, after a tough loss in Kiel (27-20), the team was depleted by injuries to Francisco da Silva, Peciña, Tuà, and Rodrigo Salinas, compounded by the serious injury of Unai Barreto. Additionally, players like Gorka Nieto, Julen Mujika, and Dariel García were not in optimal condition. Despite these setbacks, the Gipuzkoa-based team delivered a solid performance, securing two crucial points in Huesca (25-31) and growing as a collective.
Mid-season, Bidasoa was unable to score against teams in the top third of the league but dominated the rest, winning 10 matches. However, they suffered defeats against Barça at the Palau (33-31), against Logroño in Artaleku (28-32), in Granollers (32-29), and against Torrelavega (32-31).
In the second half of the season, they secured a victory in La Rioja and a draw at home against the Cantabrian team. Nevertheless, losses in Ciudad Real and at home against Nava diminished their momentum. Despite these two defeats, Bidasoa earned two more points in the second half than in the first.
That last setback against the Segovians also adds to a statistic that the next Bidasoa must address: they are the team with the fewest home wins (9; compared to two draws and four losses). Conversely, they are the second-best away team, with 11 matches won away from Artaleku.
The defeat against Granollers in the penultimate league match overshadowed Bidasoa's final strong run and took them out of the race for second place, but it did not derail their European objective. After qualifying for the Copa semi-finals, avoiding Barça on the same side of the draw was the main desire. And so it happened: they eliminated the resilient Torrelavega and Huesca, thus securing their passage to the EHF European League.
With the season concluded, Bidasoa is already looking ahead to August. They have announced the arrival of young players Miguel Ángel Martín and Joao Magalhaes, who will help cover the absence of Unai Barreto. The club is thus initiating a squad renovation process that is expected to continue next summer.
Beyond being a success that has ignited the joy of a fanbase deeply engaged with their team, reaching the final against Barça grants them the fourth and final continental ticket, directly into the group stage of the EHF European League. However, the arena in Irun does not meet the minimum EHF requirements, which could force the club to seek alternatives outside the city.
If Bidasoa has to look for alternatives outside Irun, Gipuzkoa also lacks adequate infrastructure. If the EHF takes strict measures before a political agreement is reached to unlock the new facility, the club will face the dilemma of choosing between Pamplona, Bilbao, or forfeiting their European participation. The club and its supporters trust that the European Federation will allow Artaleku to remain their home, at least while they compete in the EHF European League.
