Iñaki Williams all set to pull level with Di Stéfano
On Friday, the Athletic star will equal the Real Madrid legend's tally of 171 consecutive league games from 1953 to 1959. Iñaki hasn't missed a game since April 2016.
Iñaki Williams isn't in his best moment of form, but continues to build up games and is a first-choice for Garitano. He looked sharp against Real Madrid on Tuesday, and was unlucky not to have a penalty awarded playing in his favoured central role. That game was his 170th consecutive appearance in LaLiga - on Friday, when Huesca visit San Mamés, he will pull level with Alfredo Di Stéfano, who made 171 consecutive league appearances for Real Madrid between 1953 and 1959. Curiously, Iñaki stepped out into the stadium named after La Saeta Rubia this week and in just two days' time he will equal figures that few players have managed.
Williams hasn't missed a league game since April 2016
The Athletic Club forward began his run of games almost five years ago. On 20 April 2016, he came on for Iker Muniain in the Week 34 meeting with Atlético Madrid at San Mamés. Since then, Iñaki hasn't missed a single league game - playing in the four remaining games of that season, as well as the whole of the following four seasons: 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 plus the 13 games played so far in the current one.
Out of those 170 appearances ( out of a total of 209 in the top flight), Williams featured in the starting XI in 147 games and came off the bench in the other 23. During that period he has scored a total de 33 goals. The all-time record for consecutive matches in LaLiga is held by Real Sociedad's Juan Antonio Larrañaga who, between 1986 and1992 made 202 appearances without interuption.
Ahead of him, apart from Larrañaga and Di Stéfano, Williams has two legendary goalkeepers - Luis Arconada (188) and Andoni Zubizarreta (184).