Athletic and Real Sociedad join the ECA

Real Sociedad de Fútbol became a member of the European Club Association (ECA) at its 11th General Meeting, held in Geneva and attended by the club's president Jokin Aperribay. The ECA extending an invitation to the San Sebastian club as it is taking part in the UEFA Champions League this season. For its part, Athletic Club, represented by its CEO Jon Berasategui, was attending the meeting for the first time since its admission.

During the gathering, the members of the ECA's Board of Executives were re-elected. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (FC Bayern München) will again be the President, Umberto Gandini (AC Milan) will fill the position of First Vice President, while Sandro Rosell (FC Barcelona) will return to the position of Second Vice President.

The inclusion of the two Liga BBVA entities at this General Meeting, means that the association now has 214 member clubs, 105 as ordinary members and 109 clubs as associated members. As well as Athletic and Real Sociedad, six other Spanish teams appear in the association's books (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, Málaga).

The purpose of the association is to safeguard and promote the interests of the clubs, to contribute to the healthy development of the competitions, and of those organised by UEFA, and to football's governing body and to support and maintain the values and principles on which European Football is based.