Williams Fireproof

Only this unexpected break due to the coronavirus has been able to with the weekly appointment of Williams with The league. On April 20, in 22 days, it will be four years since the player of the Athletic, an icon in Bilbao, do not miss a day in First. It was the thirty-fourth day of the 2015-16 season that faced Athletic with the Atlético de Madrid in San Mamés. Since then, nothing and nobody has been able to beat him, 146 consecutive games jumping onto the field of play.

A little over a year ago, he began to see legends like Venancio and Iribar (81), Zarra (83) and Urkiaga (95), and had ahead of him Argote and Zubizarreta (both with 103), Garay (104) and Carmel (132). In November 2019, he reached the latter, who completed his great mark under the sticks between the years 1952 and 1957. “It is an honor that I beat myself, I congratulate you,” the legendary Carmel told AS when he was beaten.

Iñaki achieved that galactic figure at just 25 years old. No one at his age was in those heights. Now he pursues the absolute record, held by Juan Antonio Larrañaga, who chained 202 games with the Real society. In second and third place are two Basque goalkeepers: Arconada (188) and Zubizarreta (184), the latter with a record achieved between the 1984-85 and 1988-89 seasons but with two different teams, first with Athletic and, later, with Barcelona. “The injuries have respected me, and I have good genetics thanks to my parents. I appreciate the confidence of the coaches at this time, it has been a great sacrifice,” says happy Iñaki.

In the last derby at Anoeta, his lasting mark was in danger, as he was a substitute. In the end he came out, although he did leave behind his streak of 47 consecutive games as a starter. He entered in the 55th minute, for Villalibre. “There is Iñaki for a while. I am making history and I am proud. I hope I can win a title here, that of the Copa del Rey It would be good”.

In addition, Iñaki is one of the only three outfield players who have acted in all of his team's matches this season: 34 appointments, between the League and the Cup. Isak (Real Sociedad) and Morales (Levante). Joselu, for example, not a single match has been missed in Alaves and he's six fewer than Iñaki Williams.