Iker Muniain has played just 177 minutes of football in the opening seven weeks of the Liga season. The midfielder was touted as the player to mark a generation when he first emerged at Athletic and is the third-highest paid player in the squad. This is a key season for the 23-year-old after his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury he suffered a year ago.

Valverde's midfield changes

With Raúl García occupying Muniain’s habitual position he has been used mainly on the left, but Ernesto Valverde has preferred Markel Susaeta and against Málaga Sabin Merino played ahead of Muniain.

Full screen JUAN FLOR (DIARIO AS)

"I'm giving everything"

Muniain was a child prodigy who made his Athletic debut at 16 and first played for Spain at 19. Now, with two months until his 24th birthday, Muniain faces a struggle to get back to where he was. “There are people who say I’m finished,” he said in a radio interview. “I am not getting much playing time but the injury is forgotten now and I feel great physically. If I scored in every game, I’d be in the starting 11. It’s not through a lack of hard work, I’m giving everything.”