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Bittor Alkiza

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Bittor Alkiza
Personal information
Full name Bittor Alkiza Fernández
Date of birth (1970-10-26) 26 October 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth San Sebastián, Spain
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 6+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1991 San Sebastián 32 (8)
1991–1994 Real Sociedad 92 (11)
1994–2003 Athletic Bilbao 287 (8)
2003–2005 Real Sociedad 38 (0)
Total 449 (27)
International career
1990 Spain U19 3 (1)
1990 Spain U20 1 (0)
1998 Spain 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Template:Spanish name Bittor Alkiza Fernández (born 26 October 1970) is a Spanish retired footballer who played for both Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao.[1]

Although his natural position was that of left midfielder, he could also play as a central one. He had a more than remarkable technique and a powerful mid-range shot coming in second line, combined with good passing and tackling abilities.

Over the course of 14 seasons, Alkiza amassed La Liga totals of 417 games and 19 goals.

Club career

Born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Alkiza made his professional debuts with local giants Real Sociedad, being promoted to the first team at only 20 and amassing more than 100 official appearances in his first three seasons (92 in La Liga). After an aborted transfer to Real Madrid, he eventually moved to Basque neighbours Athletic Bilbao in the 1994 summer, for 220 million pesetas.[1]

Alkiza was also an automatic first-choice at his new club, not scoring so often as the attacking duties in midfield were more often than not the task of future Athletic great Julen Guerrero. In the 1997–98 campaign he only missed one game – playing 3,146 minutes – as the club finished in second place and qualified for the UEFA Champions League; in the subsequent competition, even though Athletic ranked last in its group, it did draw 0–0 at home against Juventus FC, the finalist of the previous three editions, with him playing the full 90 minutes.[2]

In the 2003 summer, after more than 300 official appearances for Athletic, Alkiza returned to Real Sociedad who was due taking part in the season's Champions League.[3] At 33 his debut campaign was satisfactory, but he eventually retired from the game the following year after not being able to heal a degenerative injury from early seasons;[4] both teams combined, he surpassed the 500-games mark.

Alkiza later rejoined his last professional club, being charged with Real Sociedad's youth teams.[5][6]

International career

Alkiza played three times for Spain, in a two-month span. His debut came on 23 September 1998 in a friendly with Russia, in Granada: he scored the match's only goal, netting from outside the area.[7][8]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 23 September 1998 Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain  Russia 1–0 1–0 Friendly

Personal life

Alkiza's father, Iñaki, also played for some years with Real Sociedad, later serving as the club's president.[1][9] He was also a relatively important local politician.[10]

He broke the "curse" that stated that players from Real would never succeed at Athletic (Loren, Luciano Iturrino or David Villabona).[11]

Coach Javier Irureta, who managed him at Athletic in 1994–95, said of Alkiza: "I guarantee that if you pass him the ball he will not return a melon".[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Qué fue de… Alkiza" (in Spanish). 20 Minutos. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 24 May 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "El Athletic hace más méritos" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 22 October 1998. Retrieved 23 October 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Una década de operación renove" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 4 July 2003. Retrieved 23 October 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "'Makila' también para Karpin y Alkiza" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 23 October 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Bittor Alkiza será director de formación hasta 2013" (in Spanish). Diario AS. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Loren: "Para Urrutia el derbi era el partido más importante"" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Camacho debuta con épica" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 24 September 1998. Retrieved 23 October 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Alkiza: "Me he sentido a gusto en el campo"" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 24 September 1998. Retrieved 23 October 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Su padre ha sido el último en enterarse" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 2 July 2003. Retrieved 23 October 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "Iñaki Alkiza: "Con Anoeta tuvimos que pasar por el aro, porque era eso o nada"" (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ "Illarramendi no es el primero que vuelve a la Real Sociedad" (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ ""Si le pasas el balón no te devolverá un melón"" (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
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