Iñigo Lekue Explained

Iñigo Lekue
Full Name:Iñigo Lekue Martínez
Birth Date:4 May 1993[1]
Birth Place:Bilbao, Spain
Height:1.80 m
Position:Full-back
Currentclub:Athletic Bilbao
Clubnumber:15
Youthyears1:2008–2012
Youthclubs1:Danok Bat
Years1:2012–2013
Caps1:34
Goals1:0
Years2:2013–2015
Caps2:60
Goals2:1
Years3:2015–
Caps3:186
Goals3:3
Club-Update:00:52, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Iñigo Lekue Martínez (in Basque iɲiɣo lekue maɾtines̻/; pronounced as /es/; born 4 May 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right or left-back for Athletic Bilbao.

Formed at Athletic Bilbao, he has made over 200 appearances, winning the Supercopa de España twice and also the 2023–24 Copa del Rey.

Club career

Born in Bilbao, Basque Country, Lekue graduated from Danok Bat CF's youth system.[2] In summer 2012 he moved to Athletic Bilbao, and made his debut as a senior with the farm team in the Tercera División.[3]

On 21 June 2013, Lekue was promoted to the reserves in the Segunda División B.[4] On 29 June 2015, after being an ever-present figure during the side's promotion to Segunda División after a 19-year absence,[5] he was promoted to the main squad in La Liga.[6]

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 in the Supercopa de España.[7] [8] He made his first league appearance 15 days later, being taken off at half-time in a 2–0 loss at neighbouring SD Eibar.[9]

Lekue scored his first senior goal on 21 December 2015, equalising for the reserves in a 1–1 home draw against CD Lugo.[10] 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.[11] On 8 June 2016, he agreed to a contract extension until 2019.[12]

On 24 November 2016, Lekue netted his first European goal to win a UEFA Europa League group match 3–2 at home to US Sassuolo Calcio.[13] In January 2018, he extended his contract to 2023.[14] He missed most of the 2018–19 season with back issues,[15] returning as a late substitute on 16 March in a 2–0 home win over Atlético Madrid.[16]

Lekue played rarely under Gaizka Garitano, and looked for a new club in the January 2021 transfer window, but was reinstated by new manager Marcelino and won another Super Cup that month, again against Barcelona.[17] That April, he was involved in two Copa del Rey finals in one month, losing both to Real Sociedad and Barcelona respectively; he played the latter 4–0 defeat as a half-time substitute.[18]

In 2022–23, due to injuries to Yuri Berchiche and Mikel Balenziaga, Lekue played frequently. In April, during his own recovery, he prolonged his contract to 2025.[19]

International career

On 22 May 2016, Lekue was called up to the Spain national team by manager Vicente del Bosque, after Jonny withdrew due to "personal reasons".[20]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCopa del ReyContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Basconia2012–13Tercera División340340
Bilbao Athletic2013–14Segunda División B260260
2014–1531060370
2015–163131
Total601000060661
Athletic Bilbao2015–16La Liga201508010341
2016–172521051313
2017–1832020120460
2018–19400040
2019–2014040180
2020–211804020240
2021–222504000290
2022–2320030230
2023–2427060330
2024–251000000010
Total1863290251302434
Career total2804290251903435

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

2023–24;[21] runner-up: 2019–20,[22] 2020–21[23]

2015,[24] 2021[25]

Individual

December 2023 (with Nico Williams)[26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Iñigo Lekue. Eurosport. 26 January 2021.
  2. News: El lateral Lekue es uno de los 'cachorros' de moda. Full-back Lekue is one of the fashionable 'pups'. Deia. Pako. Ruiz. es. 23 June 2015. 15 August 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150831094018/http://www.deia.com/2015/06/23/athletic/la-hora-lekue. 31 August 2015.
  3. News: Lekue llama a la puerta de Ernesto. Lekue knocks on Ernesto's door. Mundo Deportivo. Jon. Zubieta. es. 22 June 2015. 15 August 2015.
  4. Web site: Bilbao Athletic pre-season. Athletic Bilbao. 21 June 2013. 9 August 2015.
  5. Web site: 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. EFE. es. 28 June 2015. 6 February 2018.
  6. Web site: Dismissals in Bilbao Athletic. Athletic Bilbao. 29 June 2015. 9 August 2015.
  7. Web site: Athletic Bilbao 4–0 Barcelona: Aduriz hits hat-trick in Supercopa shocker. Goal. 14 August 2015. 14 August 2015.
  8. News: Aduriz echa al Barça a los leones. Aduriz throws Barça to the lions. Marca. Javier. Estepa. es. 14 August 2015. 15 August 2015.
  9. News: El liderato lleva el nombre del Eibar. The leadership carries Eibar's name. Marca. Jonathan. Martínez. es. 30 August 2015. 9 March 2016.
  10. News: Bilbao Athletic y Lugo no cumplen sus objetivos. Bilbao Athletic and Lugo fail to complete their objectives. Marca. es. 21 December 2015. 22 December 2015.
  11. Web site: Villarreal tighten grip on top four; Athletic Bilbao held by lowly Granada. ESPN FC. 3 April 2016. 3 April 2016.
  12. Web site: Iñigo Lekue's renewal. Athletic Bilbao. 8 June 2016. 31 July 2016.
  13. Web site: EL: Il Sassuolo esce a Bilbao. EL: Sassuolo go out in Bilbao. Football Italia. Susy. Campanale. it. 24 November 2016. 8 September 2023.
  14. News: Lekue renueva hasta 2023. Lekue renews until 2023. Marca. Juanma. Velasco. es. 16 January 2018. 23 December 2023.
  15. News: Lekue empieza otra vez de cero. Lekue starts from square one again. Mundo Deportivo. Ramón. Suso. es. 26 December 2018. 18 July 2020.
  16. News: Lekue: "Quiero que lo que aporte sea de calidad". Lekue: "I want what I contribute to be of quality". Marca. Juanma. Velasco. es. 20 March 2019. 18 July 2020.
  17. News: Marcelino sube al tren a Lekue, que ya tenía un pie fuera en este mercado de invierno. Marcelino gets on board with Lekue, who already had one foot outside in this winter transfer window. Marca. Juanma. Velasco. es. 26 January 2021. 23 December 2023.
  18. News: El sueño se convierte en pesadilla. The dream becomes a nightmare. El Correo. Jon. Agiriano. es. 17 April 2021. 23 December 2023.
  19. News: Lekue renueva hasta 2025. Lekue renews until 2025. El Correo. Juanma. Mallo. es. 23 April 2023. 23 December 2023.
  20. News: 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. es. 22 May 2016. 29 May 2016.
  21. News: Athletic 1–1 (4–2) Mallorca, en directo: final de Copa del Rey 2024 Celebración del Athletic, campeón de Copa. Athletic 1–1 (4–2) Mallorca, live: 2024 King's Cup final Celebrations of Athletic, Cup champions. Diario AS. Mario. Reinoso del Real. es. 7 April 2024. 7 April 2024.
  22. News: Real Sociedad beat Athletic to claim Copa del Rey and Basque glory. The Guardian. Sid. Lowe. 3 April 2021. 19 April 2021.
  23. News: Messi stars as Barcelona thrash Athletic Bilbao to lift Copa del Rey. The Guardian. Sid. Lowe. 17 April 2021. 19 April 2021.
  24. Web site: Acta del partido celebrado el 14 de agosto de 2015, en Bilbao. Minutes of the match held on 14 August 2015, in Bilbao. Royal Spanish Football Federation. es. 24 January 2021.
    Web site: Acta del partido celebrado el 17 de agosto de 2015, en Barcelona. Minutes of the match held on 17 August 2015, in Barcelona. Royal Spanish Football Federation. es. 24 January 2021.
  25. Web site: Acta del partido celebrado el 17 de enero de 2021, en Sevilla. Minutes of the match held on 17 January 2021, in Seville. Royal Spanish Football Federation. es. 24 January 2021.
  26. Web site: Nico Williams and Iñigo Lekue win LALIGA EA SPORTS Move of the Month for December. La Liga. 6 January 2024. 24 May 2024.