Defenders on a scoring streak

Yuri Berchiche reached last Sunday against Real Betis Balompié a landmark that any Athletic defender had achieved for six seasons: to score in two consecutive league matches playing in a defender position. The last to achieve was Javi Martínez, defender when Marcelo Bielsa was on the red-and-white bench.

Yuri scored his first goal of the 2019-20 season against Granada CF in the 15th matchday of LaLiga last December 1 in San Mamés, thanks to a pass from Unai López, beating like this Granada with a 2-0. Only a week later, the back scored again: the second goal of the lions in the 3-2 defeat to Real Betis at Villamarín last Sunday.

Only going back to the 2010-11 season, with Marcelo Bielsa managing the first team, you will see a similar figure. It was Javi Martínez, who in that campaign occupied the centre position as Athletic’s defender, the one that would be able to score in two consecutive matches. He scored the second goal of the lions (3-2) in the 22nd matchday against Espanyol, in a match that would end 3-3 in San Mamés.

A week later, like Yuri, Javi Martínez scored his second goal in two consecutive matches, curiously also in the field of Betis. The player from Navarra scored the goal that tied to one in a match that Athletic also lost (2-1).

San José, last defender to achieve a double

It is a coincidence that it is Real Betis, although in this case in San Mamés, the rival of the last ten seasons against which a red-and-white defender scored his double in a match. It was achieved by Mikel San José in the 1st matchday of the 2012-13 season. Playing as central defender, the player from Navarra scored 2-3 and 3-3 in just ten minutes, in a match that ended with the result of 3-5 in favour to the Andalusians.