Another statistically striking fact about Raúl García’s career in the League lies in the number of full games he has played throughout his career, first at Osasuna, then at Atlético and now at Athletic. The Navarrese, with 549 commitments in the regular tournament to his credit, has played from start to finish in 229, less than half of the total.
This classification of complete league matches, curiously, is headed by five goalkeepers. Zubi leads with 618 followed by Buyo with 538, Casillas with 504, Esnaola with 464 and the legendary Iribar with 454. Raúl García, for his part, is not even among the top 250 classified in this ranking.
The Navarrese has played as a starter in 413 league games of the 549 he has accumulated, being 33 on a list led by Zubi with 622. Raúl García does appear in the ‘top five’ relative to the games played starting as a substitute. The Navarrese, with 136, is fifth on a list led by Guti with 159 and has Manu Sarabia as second with 145.
At the level of meetings replaced; The Athletic player, with 179, is third in a ranking led by Betis Joaquín with 214 followed by Benzema with 188.