Iñigo Pérez
Encyclopedia
Iñigo Pérez Soto is a Spanish
footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao
as a midfielder
.
's youth ranks at Lezama
, Pérez moved to the reserves
in early 2007, although he still appeared for some more time with feeder club CD Baskonia
.
On 28 October 2009, he made his debut for the first team, starting in a 0–2 Copa del Rey
defeat at Rayo Vallecano
(2–4 aggregate loss
); two days later, he first appeared in La Liga
, replacing veteran Pablo Orbaiz
in a 1–0 home win against Atlético Madrid.
Definitely promoted to Athletic's first team for 2010–11
, Pérez scored in his first official appearance, a 3–0 home win against RCD Mallorca
, playing the last 10 minutes in the place of wonderkid Iker Muniain
. On 8 March 2011, he was loaned to SD Huesca
in Segunda División
- the winter transfer window
had longsince closed, but the Royal Spanish Football Federation allowed the move as the Aragon
ese had just lost David Bauzá
to an anterior cruciate ligament
injury.
Pérez appeared much more regularly for the Basque
in the 2011–12 season
, under new manager Marcelo Bielsa
. This was mainly due to the departure of Orbaiz (loaned to Olympiacos FC) and the serious knee
injury of Carlos Gurpegui.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Football career
A product of Athletic BilbaoAthletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
's youth ranks at Lezama
Lezama
Lezama is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. It is home to the training headquarters of the football team Athletic Bilbao, and is accessible by bus - BizkaiBus - from Bilbao.-External links:*...
, Pérez moved to the reserves
Bilbao Athletic
Bilbao Athletic is a Spanish football club based in Bilbao, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country...
in early 2007, although he still appeared for some more time with feeder club CD Baskonia
CD Baskonia
Club Deportivo Baskonia is a Spanish football club based in Basauri, Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country. Founded in 1913, it currently plays in Tercera División, holding home games at Estadio de López Cortázar, with a 8,500-seat capacity.-History:Founded in 1913 as CD Basconia,...
.
On 28 October 2009, he made his debut for the first team, starting in a 0–2 Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
defeat at Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas...
(2–4 aggregate loss
2009–10 Copa del Rey
The 2009–10 Copa del Rey was the 106th staging of the Copa del Rey. The competition began on August 22, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010 with the final held at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, in which Sevilla FC lifted the trophy for the fifth time in their history with a 2–0 victory over...
); two days later, he first appeared in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, replacing veteran Pablo Orbaiz
Pablo Orbaiz
Pablo Orbaiz Lesaka is a Spanish footballer who plays for Olympiacos F.C. on loan from Athletic Bilbao, as a defensive midfielder.-Club career:...
in a 1–0 home win against Atlético Madrid.
Definitely promoted to Athletic's first team for 2010–11
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
, Pérez scored in his first official appearance, a 3–0 home win against RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
, playing the last 10 minutes in the place of wonderkid Iker Muniain
Iker Muniain
Iker Muniain Goñi is a Spanish footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish first division, mainly as a winger.-Club career:...
. On 8 March 2011, he was loaned to SD Huesca
SD Huesca
Sociedad Deportiva Huesca, S.A.D., is a Spanish football club based in Huesca, in the autonomous community of Aragon. Founded in 1960, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio El Alcoraz, which seats 8,000 spectators....
in Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
- the winter transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
had longsince closed, but the Royal Spanish Football Federation allowed the move as the Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
ese had just lost David Bauzá
David Bauzá
David Bauzá Francés is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for SD Huesca as a defensive midfielder.-External links:* ** *...
to an anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury.
Pérez appeared much more regularly for the Basque
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
in the 2011–12 season
2011–12 La Liga
The 2011–12 La Liga season is the 81st since its establishment. Barcelona are the defending champions, having won their 21st La Liga title in the previous season for the third time in a row. The campaign began on 27 August 2011, and will end on 13 May 2012...
, under new manager Marcelo Bielsa
Marcelo Bielsa
Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera is an Argentine association football coach and former defender, born in Rosario, Santa Fe...
. This was mainly due to the departure of Orbaiz (loaned to Olympiacos FC) and the serious knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury of Carlos Gurpegui.