Iñigo Lekue

Iñigo Lekue Martínez (Basque: [iɲiɣo lekue maɾtines̻]; Spanish: [ˈiɲiɣo ˈlekwe maɾˈtineθ]; born 4 May 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao mainly as a right back.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Lekue and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Iñigo Lekue
Lekue in May 2017
Personal information
Full name Iñigo Lekue Martínez
Date of birth (1993-05-04) 4 May 1993
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position(s) Right back
Club information
Current team
 Athletic Bilbao
Number 15
Youth career
2008–2012 Danok Bat
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Basconia 34 (0)
2013–2015 Bilbao Athletic 66 (1)
2015– Athletic Bilbao 95 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 July 2020

Club career

Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Lekue graduated from Danok Bat CF's youth system.[1] In summer 2012 he moved to Athletic Bilbao, and made his debut as a senior with the farm team in Tercera División.[2]

On 21 June 2013, Lekue was promoted to the reserves in Segunda División B.[3] On 29 June 2015, after being an ever-present figure during the side's promotion to Segunda División after a 19-year absence,[4] he was promoted to the main squad in La Liga.[5]

Lekue made his official debut with the first team on 15 August 2015, coming on as a second-half substitute for fellow youth graduate Sabin Merino in a 4–0 home rout of FC Barcelona for the Supercopa de España.[6][7] He made his first league appearance 15 days later, being taken off at half-time in a 0–2 loss at neighbouring SD Eibar.[8]

Lekue scored his first senior goal on 21 December 2015, equalising for the reserves in a 1–1 home draw against CD Lugo.[9] The following 3 April he scored for the first time in the top flight, opening a 1–1 draw with Granada CF at the San Mamés Stadium.[10] On 8 June 2016, he agreed to a contract extension until 2019.[11]

On 24 November 2016, Lekue netted his first European goal to win a UEFA Europa League group match 3–2 at home to U.S. Sassuolo.[12] He missed most of the 2018–19 season with back issues,[13] returning as a late substitute on 16 March in a 2–0 home win over Atlético Madrid.[14]

International career

On 22 May 2016, Lekue was called up to the Spanish national team by manager Vicente del Bosque, after Jonny withdrew due to "personal reasons".[15]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References
  1. "El lateral Lekue es uno de los 'cachorros' de moda" [Full back Lekue is one of the fashionable 'pups']. Deia (in Spanish). 23 June 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  2. Zubieta, Jon (22 June 2015). "Lekue llama a la puerta de Ernesto" [Lekue knocks on Ernesto's door]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  3. "Bilbao Athletic pre-season". Athletic Bilbao. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. "El Bilbao Athletic, a Segunda 19 años después y el Cádiz tendrá que esperar" [Bilbao Athletic, into Segunda 19 years later and Cádiz will have to wait] (in Spanish). EFE. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  5. "Dismissals in Bilbao Athletic". Athletic Bilbao. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  6. "Athletic Bilbao 4–0 Barcelona: Aduriz hits hat-trick in Supercopa shocker". Goal. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  7. Estepa, Javier (14 August 2015). "Aduriz echa al Barça a los leones" [Aduriz throws Barça to the lions]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  8. Martínez, Jonathan (30 August 2015). "El liderato lleva el nombre del Eibar" [The leadership carries Eibar's name]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  9. "Bilbao Athletic y Lugo no cumplen sus objetivos" [Bilbao Athletic and Lugo fail to complete their objectives]. Marca (in Spanish). 21 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  10. "Villarreal tighten grip on top four; Athletic Bilbao held by lowly Granada". ESPN FC. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  11. "Iñigo Lekue's renewal". Athletic Bilbao. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  12. "EL: Sassuolo go out in Bilbao". Football Italia. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  13. Suso, Ramón (26 December 2018). "Lekue empieza otra vez de cero" [Lekue starts from square one again]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  14. Velasco, Juanma (20 March 2019). "Lekue: "Quiero que lo que aporte sea de calidad"" [Lekue: "I want what I contribute to be of quality"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  15. "Lekue sustituye a Jonny en el grupo de promesas citado por Del Bosque" [Lekue replaces Jonny in the group of prospects called by Del Bosque]. Marca (in Spanish). 22 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
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