The captain of Real Sociedad, Mikel Oyarzabal, celebrated a personal and collective milestone in the matchday 450 against Levante. The match, which was played on October 25, 2015 at the Ciutat de Valencia, coincided with the eleventh anniversary of his debut with the first team, which also took place against the same rival. In that first match, Oyarzabal, then 18 years old, wore number 28 and scored the first goal of the 0-4 in favor of Real Sociedad.
In today's match, Oyarzabal, who wears number 10, did not score or assist, but contributed with his leadership and experience to secure the victory. With the victory, the player became the ninth player in the club's history to reach 450 official matches, and the second youngest to achieve this, only behind Roberto López Ufarte. At 29 years old, Oyarzabal already has 358 games in the league, 47 in national cups, 43 in European competitions and one appearance in the Super Cup. In addition, he has won two titles and participated in seven European qualifications, scoring 135 goals and providing around 70 assists, according to the counting criteria.
During the match, Oyarzabal served as a playmaker, placing himself between forwards Sucic and Turrientes, and sometimes behind Óskarsson and Guedes. He showed his ability to create opportunities, especially for the Icelandic striker, and maintained a constant presence in attack. After a rest period in Norway, he completed the 90 minutes and remained a reference on the field when Zakharyan replaced Óskarsson.
The match marked another chapter in the career of Oyarzabal, who continues to add records and establish himself as one of the pillars of the team. With the season still underway, the club and its supporters hope that the player will continue to lead the team in upcoming matches and European competitions.