Iker Undabarrena

Iker Undabarrena Martínez (born 18 May 1995) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CE Sabadell FC as a defensive midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Undabarrena and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Iker Undabarrena
Personal information
Full name Iker Undabarrena Martínez
Date of birth (1995-05-18) 18 May 1995
Place of birth Gorliz, Spain
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Sabadell
Number 23
Youth career
2005–2012 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 Basconia 30 (1)
2012–2018 Athletic Bilbao 0 (0)
2013–2018 Bilbao Athletic 105 (3)
2018–2020 Tenerife 46 (0)
2020– Sabadell 0 (0)
National team‡
2011 Spain U16 6 (0)
2011 Spain U17 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 July 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 October 2011

Club career

Athletic Bilbao

Born in Gorliz, Biscay, Undabarrena joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 2005, aged 10. He made his senior debuts with farm team CD Basconia of the Tercera División, in the 2012–13 season. On 28 November 2012, at only 17, Undabarrena made his official debut with the main squad, coming on as a substitute for Igor Martínez in the 77th minute of a 2–0 away win against Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. in the campaign's UEFA Europa League.[1]

Having moved up to play for the reserves in summer 2013, Undabarrena played a prominent role in the team's promotion to the second tier the following season,[2] starting 28 regular league matches and all six of the successful play-offs run.[3]

Almost three years after his European bow, Undabarrena made his domestic professional debut on 24 August 2015, starting in a 0–1 home loss against Girona FC.[4] He appeared in almost all of the domestic league matches until 13 February 2016, when he suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a fixture against Real Valladolid, requiring a lengthy rehabilitation.[5] Returning to the team eight months later at the end of October, he went on to take part in the majority of the remaining matches during 2016–17 before being withdrawn from the final few games as a precaution to complete his recovery.[6]

Undabarrena started the first four fixtures of the next campaign, but then suffered another ACL tear during training, this time to his right knee.[7] In the same period, similar injuries were endured by Aitor Seguín, Undabarrena's long-time teammate (he also joined Athletic's academy as a 10-year-old in 2005) which hampered the development of both players and damaged their hopes of moving up to the senior squad;[8] during Undabarrena's lengthy absences, midfielder Mikel Vesga was promoted instead.

Despite making a successful return to the B-team with ten appearances and one goal between March and May (including two in the promotion play-offs), Undabarrena was released by Athletic Bilbao on the expiry of his contract on 1 July 2018, ending a 13-year association with the club.[9]

Tenerife / Sabadell

On 3 July 2018, free agent Undaberrena agreed a deal to join second-tier CD Tenerife (at the time coached by former Athletic Bilbao player Joseba Etxeberria) on a three-year contract.[10] On 31 August 2020, he moved to fellow league team CE Sabadell FC.[11]

International career

Undabarrena started representing Spain at under-17 level, appearing in friendlies against Belgium and Montenegro.

References
  1. Athletic post comfortable Kiryat Shmona win; UEFA.com, 28 November 2012
  2. "Iker Undabarrena: el "cerebro" del Bilbao Athletic" [Iker Undabarrena: the "brain" of Bilbao Athletic] (in Spanish). La Cantera de Lezama. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  3. "El Bilbao Athletic, a Segunda 19 años después y el Cádiz tendrá que esperar" [Bilbao Athletic, into Segunda 19 years later and Cadiz will have to wait] (in Spanish). EFE. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  4. "El que la sigue, la consigue" [The one that follows it, gets it] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  5. "Iker Undabarrena's condition". Athletic Bilbao. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  6. "Undabarrena, baja hasta el final de temporada" [Undabarrena, out until the end of the season]. El Desmarque (in Spanish). 25 April 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  7. "Operation to Iker Undabarrena". Athletic Bilbao. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  8. "Las rodillas siguen dando guerra a Undabarrena y Seguín" [The knees continue to attack Undabarrena and Seguín]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 14 September 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  9. "End of contract". Athletic Bilbao. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  10. "El Tenerife firma por tres temporadas a Iker Undabarrena" [Tenerife sign Iker Undabarrena for three seasons]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 3 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  11. "Iker Undabarrena refuerza la media del Sabadell" [Iker Undabarrena bolsters the midfield of Sabadell] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
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