A special season ahead for Muniain and De Marcos
A special season ahead for Muniain and De Marcos
Both players will celebrate their 15th season with Athletic Club's first team and could even share the podium on the Lions' all-time appearance makers list
Iker Muniain and Óscar de Marcos have led parallel lives at Athletic Club. They both made their debuts in the 2009/10 Europa League tie against Young Boys. Iker in the home leg and Oscar in Switzerland, where Muniain scored his first goal as a Lion.
That week's difference makes Muniain the longest-serving player in the current squad. Next season will be very special for both players, as it will be their 15th at the club. Something that only 15 players have achieved: Jose Angel Iribar, Txetxu Rojo I, Joseba Etxeberria, Piru Gainza, Jose Maria Orue, Canito, Jose Luis Panizo, Josu Urrutia, Carlos Gurpegui, Telmo Zarra, Jose Luis Artetxe, Eneko Arieta, Raimuno Lezama, Jose María Belauste and Luis Hurtado.
If all goes well, Iker Muniain will become the second most-capped Lion in history, as he currently trails Txetxu Rojo by six games. The playmaker has already made 535 appearances.
What's more, De Marcos is just one game away from joining the select group of just six players to have reached 500 matches: Iribar, Rojo I, Etxeberria, Markel Susaeta, Andoni Iraola and Muniain. With 15 more games, De Marcos could equal Etxebe in fourth place and if he made the 43 appearances, like this season, he would join the top three. He has Muniain 36 games ahead of him and Txetxu Rojo is 42 in front.
