In the last two seasons, the Athetic has seen the European train depart from the platform. The rojiblanco team has been close to obtaining the ticket for the Europa League, but lost it at the last minute. Against Sevilla in the final day of the 2018-19 academic year and in the penultimate with Leganés in the past 2019-20. The Bilbao squad will complete its third year outside the continental circuit in 2020-21. However, three lions remain in the top 5 in terms of UEFA matches played with Spanish clubs. The list is commanded by Susaeta and they also occupy the first places From Marcos and Muniain.
Yesterday, as @pedritonumeros pointed out, it was Jesus Navas who entered this select group, reaching their 50th match in UEFA against Wolverhampton at the MSV Arena in Duisburg (Germany). The international full-back is the first Sevilla player to reach this figure. And it could add two more. One against Manchester United in the semifinals and another if they go to the final. He would reach 52 stalking Muniain, fourth with 54. Although those of Julen Lopetegui They will not be in their fetish competition next season, as they have qualified for the Champions League as quarterfinals.
The absolute leader is Markel Susaeta, with 67 games, in which he scored 11 goals, in the Europa League. A competition in which he participated in seven seasons. He played a maximum of 16 games in the 2011-12 campaign in which, hand in hand with Marcelo Bielsa, they reached the final in Bucharest in which they lost (3-0) to Atlético de Madrid. He lived through spectacular qualifying rounds against Manchester United in the round of 16, Schalke in the quarterfinals, or Sporting de Portugal in the semifinals.
Susaeta he left Athletic after 12 seasons in which he traveled the entire ladder from fingerlings. He did so with 507 matches in total (379 in the League, 50 in the Cup, 8 in the Champions League, those 67 in the UEFA Cup and 3 in the Super Cup), which makes him the fifth lion with the most games in the club's history, only surpassed by myth Iribar (614), Red (541), Etxeberria (514) e Iraola (510). After leaving the Bilbao team, he has played in Gamba Osaka (Japan) and Melbourne City (Australia).
The second in this table is From Marcos, who like Susaeta, took advantage above all the continental years with Valverde and Bielsa. The Laguardia greyhound, the nineteenth overall in the club's history, with 398, has accumulated 57 appearances in UEFA, with 8 goals, spread over seven campaigns. Precisely, he made his debut as a lion in this tournament, on August 6, 2009, in the previous round against the Swiss Young Boys at the Suisse Wankdorf in Bern. Joaquin Caparrós placed him that day in the starting eleven, being relieved in the 80th minute by Orbaiz. They won 1-2 and went to the round after 0-1 in the first leg, facing Tromso in the play-off tie that was also beaten. He played 14 duels, with 4 goals, in 2011-12.
The third step of this podium is for Bruno, with his 55 meetings with Villarreal. Only one less, 54, has Muniain in seven appearances in the Europa League. The captain occupies the 12th place in the total clash classification in the club (422) and next season he will enter the top ten. His maximum came in this continental tournament with 16 appointments, with five goals, in the 2011-12 campaign.
The debut of the Txantrea imp as a lion, on July 30, 2009, occurred precisely in UEFA, in the first leg of the previous round with Young Boys in San Mamés. He entered in the 59th minute replacing Toquero.