Beñat Etxebarria

Beñat
Beñat with Athletic Bilbao in 2014
Personal information
Full name Beñat Etxebarria Urkiaga
Date of birth (1987-02-19) 19 February 1987
Place of birth Igorre, Spain
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Athletic Bilbao
Number 7
Youth career
1997–1998 Arratia
1998–2005 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Basconia 21 (3)
2006–2008 Bilbao Athletic 75 (5)
2006–2009 Athletic Bilbao 1 (0)
2008–2009 → Conquense (loan) 34 (6)
2009–2010 Betis B 34 (3)
2010–2013 Betis 105 (14)
2013– Athletic Bilbao 143 (5)
National team‡
2004–2005 Spain U17 5 (0)
2012– Spain 4 (0)
2011– Basque Country 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:28, 23 May 2018 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 November 2012

Beñat Etxebarria Urkiaga (Basque: [beɲat etʃeβaria urkiaɣa], Spanish: [beˈɲat etʃeβaˈri.a uɾˈkjaɣa]; born 19 February 1987), known simply as Beñat, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao as a central midfielder.

Club career

Athletic Bilbao

Beñat was born in Igorre, Biscay. Coming through Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth ranks at Lezama, he played his first three years with both the third team, CD Basconia, and the reserve side.

On 29 October 2006, he appeared in his first – and only – La Liga game, which consisted of six minutes against CA Osasuna in a 1–1 away draw after replacing another youth product, Francisco Yeste.[1]

Betis

Etxeberria training with Betis in 2010

In 2008–09, Beñat played with UB Conquense in the third division,[2] after which he was released by Athletic. In the summer he signed with Real Betis, but spent his first season with the reserves also in level three.[3]

Beñat made his debut for Betis' main squad on 29 August 2010, playing the second half of the 4–1 home win against Granada CF and assisting on a Salva Sevilla goal. Three days later he scored in his first start, a 2–1 home triumph against UD Salamanca in the Copa del Rey;[4] in the league campaign he contributed with 36 matches (30 starts, 2.521 minutes of action) as the Andalusians returned to the top flight after three years, netting four times.

On 2 May 2012, Beñat scored twice for his fifth and sixth goals of the season, in a 2–1 win at Sevilla FC for the local derby. The winner came in the 90th minute.[5]

On 24 November 2012, Beñat netted the game's only goal in a 1–0 home success over Real Madrid – he scored with a shot from outside the 18-yard box in the 17th minute.[6] He finished the campaign with 34 games and four goals, helping the club finish seventh and qualify to the UEFA Europa League.

Athletic return

In June 2013, Beñat returned to Athletic Bilbao, signing a five-year contract for a reported fee of €8 million.[7] On 16 September, he took the first touch at the new San Mamés Stadium against Celta de Vigo and scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory; he was substituted to a standing ovation, and dedicated his performance to his grandparents.[8]

On 14 April 2016, Beñat was the only player to miss in a penalty shootout against compatriots Sevilla in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.[9] Following the appointment of manager José Ángel Ziganda for the 2017–18 season, he began featuring less regularly.[10][11]

International career

Beñat played with the Spanish youth teams at under-17 level. He made his debut for the full side on 26 May 2012, playing 45 minutes in a 2–0 friendly win with Serbia in St. Gallen[12] and thus becoming the first Betis player since Juanito to don the national team shirt, nearly four years later.[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of 23 May 2018
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bilbao Athletic 2005–06[14] Segunda División B 160———160
2006–07[14] Segunda División B 293———293
2007–08[14] Segunda División B 302———302
Total 755000000755
Athletic Bilbao 2006–07[14] La Liga 10———10
Conquense (loan) 2008–09[14] Segunda División B 34611——357
Betis B 2009–10[14] Segunda División B 343———343
Betis 2010–11[14] Segunda División 36461——425
2011–12[14] La Liga 35610——366
2012–13[14] La Liga 34460——404
Total 10514131000011815
Athletic Bilbao 2013–14[14] La Liga 23140——271
2014–15[15] La Liga 282709[lower-alpha 1]0—442
2015–16[15] La Liga 3615012[lower-alpha 2]22[lower-alpha 3]0553
2016–17[15] La Liga 321106[lower-alpha 2]100392
2017–18[15] La Liga 240108[lower-alpha 2]000330
Total 1435180353201898
Career total 392333223532046138
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League
  2. 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ↑ Appearances in Supercopa de España

International

As of 14 November 2012[16]
Spain
YearAppsGoals
201240
Total40

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References

  1. ↑ Osasuna 1–1 Athletic Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 29 October 2006
  2. ↑ "El Conquense consigue la segunda cesión rojiblanca: Beñat" [Conquense get second red-and-white loan: Beñat]. Marca (in Spanish). 10 July 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "El Betis ficha a Beñat (Athletic) y Regino (San Fernando) para el filial" [Betis sign Beñat (Athletic) and Regino (San Fernando) for reserves] (in Spanish). Join Futbol. 7 July 2009. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "El Betis se aferra a la Copa" [Betis hold on to Cup]. Marca (in Spanish). 2 September 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Sevilla let Euro hopes slip; ESPN Soccernet, 2 May 2012
  6. ↑ Betis stun Real Madrid; ESPN Soccernet, 24 November 2012
  7. ↑ "Signing of Beñat Etxebarria". Athletic Bilbao. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Athletic Bilbao's intoxicating spirit remains despite move next door". The Guardian. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "Shoot-out agony for Athletic as Sevilla dream on". UEFA. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "¿Qué ocurre con Beñat?" [What's happening with Beñat?]. Deia (in Spanish). 25 September 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Beñat, el Athletic te necesita" [Beñat, Athletic need you]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 13 October 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "Adrián está listo para la Eurocopa" [Adrián is ready for Euro]. Marca (in Spanish). 26 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Beñat toma el testigo de Juanito en La Roja" [Beñat takes over for Juanito in La Roja]. Marca (in Spanish). 26 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Beñat: Beñat Etxebarría Urkiaga". BDFutbol. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Beñat". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "Beñat". European Football. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
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