Inside Athletic

Lezama is full of young players who dream of playing for Athletic Club. Only a select few will ever be able to reach the first team, but that only makes the dream stronger and more magical. One player that was never able to take the jump to the senior squad is Iñigo Eguaras who fans should remember well. He was born just 10 minutes away from Osasuna’s El Sadar and was a product of Txantrea. Like Iker Muniain and Mikel San Jose before him, Eguaras left to join Lezama as soon as he had the chance.

The midfielder was integrated into Athletic at the age of 12 and was always one of the standout players in his age group. In 2011 he was promoted to Bilbao Athletic and was a regular starter, but he was never able to break into the first team. In 2014 he left to join Sabadell before signing for Mirandes one year later. Over the summer he made the switch to Real Zaragoza where has has become a pillar in the team and has been one of the best midfielders in Spain’s second division.

Having just turned 26, Eguaras is finally starting to realize his potential and clubs are taking notice. With his fine form in the Segunda there is belief that he could be in line to take the step up to the top flight and many Athletic fans have wondered if a homecoming is around the corner. In the meantime, the midfielder has to focus on his season with Real Zaragoza and on friendly he came face to face with Osasuna, helping his side to a 2-1 victory.

In the build up to the match, Eguaras spoke with Radio Euskadi and was asked about playing against Osasuna and if he still dreams of playing for Athletic. For the 26-year-old, there is no question about where his heart will always reside.

“For me this is a very special match because I have played against Osasuna since I was little. I’m fond of the club because I have a lot of friends there and I am from the area. I could have played there but when I was young I received a call from Athletic. With an opportunity to go to Bilbao I did not even have to think about it. I have always said that my dream is to play for Athletic and that is still the case. I went there at 12 years old. I have always been Athletic and my dream will continue to be there. Right now I just try to do my best. If I received a call [to return to Athletic] I wouldn’t even have to think about my answer.”

Whether or not Iñigo Eguaras will ever play for Athletic again is still up in the air. It is true that the midfielder has been in fine form this season and clubs in the top flight have taken notice. That being said, the Lions have a very deep midfield which still stands in the way of the former Lezama standout. For the time being he will continue to play his best football and hope that his dream can eventually come true.