Unai Bustinza

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Bustinza and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.

Unai Bustinza Martínez (born 2 February 1992) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right-back.

Unai Bustinza

Bustinza with Leganés in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Unai Bustinza Martínez[1]
Date of birth	(1992-02-02) 2 February 1992 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth	Bilbao, Spain[1]
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
2001–2002	Santutxu
2002–2011	Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2011	Basconia	28	(2)
2011–2014	Bilbao Athletic	83	(7)
2014–2016	Athletic Bilbao	2	(0)
2015–2016	→ Leganés (loan)	15	(0)
2016–2022	Leganés	130	(2)
2022–2023	Málaga	10	(0)
2024	Amorebieta	17	(1)
International career
2019	Basque Country	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 June 2024

Club career

Athletic Bilbao

Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Bustinza joined Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth system in 2002, aged ten. He made his debut as a senior with the club's farm team in the 2010–11 season, in the Tercera División.^[2]

In May 2011, Bustinza was promoted to the reserves in the Segunda División B. He appeared regularly for them the following campaigns, scoring a career-best five goals in 2012–13.^[3]

On 15 July 2014, Bustinza was promoted to the Basques' main squad in La Liga.^[4] He made his debut in the competition on 25 August, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 away win over UD Almería.^[5]

Bustinza was handed his first start for the Lions on 2 May 2015, being sent off in the 93rd minute of the 0–0 draw with Atlético Madrid for two bookable offences.^[6] Later that month, he played the full 90 minutes in the final of the Copa del Rey against FC Barcelona, a 3–1 loss.^[7]

Leganés

On 22 July 2015, Bustinza was loaned to Segunda División side CD Leganés in a season-long deal.^[8][9] The following 18 July, having contributed 1,134 minutes in all competitions to a top-flight promotion, he signed a permanent three-year contract after cutting ties with Athletic.^[10][11]

Bustinza scored the first of two goals in the Spanish top tier on 21 February 2018, but in a 1–3 home defeat to Real Madrid.^[12][13]

Málaga

On 2 July 2022, free agent Bustinza joined second-tier Málaga CF on a three-year deal.^[14] On 30 June 2023, after suffering relegation, he activated a clause on his contract and left.^[15]

Amorebieta

In November 2023, Bustinza started training with SD Amorebieta.^[16] On 18 January 2024, he agreed to a deal at the second-division team.^[17]

International career

Bustinza made his debut for the unofficial Basque Country national team in May 2019, in a 0–0 draw away to Panama for which a small, youthful and inexperienced squad was selected.^[18][19]

References

1. "Unai Bustinza Martínez". Málaga CF. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
2. "Ager Aketxe y Unai Bustinza: un sueño cumplido iniciado en alevines" [Ager Aketxe and Unai Bustinza: a dream fulfilled in alevines] (in Spanish). La Cantera de Lezama. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
3. Funqueiro, Lucía (24 June 2022). "El Málaga pone el ojo en Bustinza" [Málaga set their sights on Bustinza] (in Spanish). Grada 3. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
4. Cuenca, Nika (15 July 2014). "Bustinza tendrá dorsal en el primer equipo del Athletic" [Bustinza will have a jersey in Athletic's first team]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2014.
5. López, Jesús Fernando (25 October 2014). "Etxeita da aire al Athletic" [Etxeita gives air to Athletic]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2014.
6. Malagón, Manuel (2 May 2015). "El Atlético llega tarde" [Atlético arrive late]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 June 2015.
7. Siguero, Santiago (30 May 2015). "Messi es el Rey León" [Messi is the Lion King]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 June 2015.
8. "Bustinza, cedido al Leganés" [Bustinza, loaned to Leganés] (in Spanish). Athletic Bilbao. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
9. Mallo, Juanma (22 July 2015). "Bustinza, cedido al Leganés" [Bustinza, loaned to Leganés]. El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2024.
10. "Bustinza vuelve al Leganés y firma hasta 2019" [Bustinza returns to Leganés and signs until 2019] (in Spanish). CD Leganés. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
11. González, Raúl (19 July 2016). "Unai Bustinza, el soldado de Butarque" [Unai Bustinza, the soldier of Butarque] (in Spanish). Sphera Sports. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
12. "Un gol 'a la bilbaína': cabezazo a ras de suelo de Bustinza ante la tierna mirada de Theo" [Goal 'Bilbao-style': diving header by Bustinza as Theo kindly looks on]. Marca (in Spanish). 21 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
13. "El Real Madrid se impone al Leganés y es tercero en la Liga (1–3)" [Real Madrid best Leganés and are third in League (1–3)]. El País (in Spanish). 21 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
14. "Bustinza, leadership and intensity in defence". Málaga CF. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
15. "Concluye la vinculación de 18 jugadores con ficha profesional" [Link of 18 players with professional registration ends] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
16. Guerreiro, Daniel (9 November 2023). "Bustinza se entrena con el Amore" [Bustinza trains with Amore]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 January 2024.
17. "Unai Bustinza, experiencia para la zaga azul" [Unai Bustinza, experience for the blue defence] (in Spanish). SD Amorebieta. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
18. Lekuona, Javier (30 May 2019). "Empate sin goles de la Euskal Selekzioa ante Panamá" [Basque Selection goalless draw against Panama]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 August 2019.
19. "Empate entre la Euskal Selekzioa y Panamá (0–0)" [Draw between Basque Selection and Panama (0–0)] (in Spanish). EITB. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.

External links

• Unai Bustinza at Athletic Bilbao
• Unai Bustinza at BDFutbol
• Unai Bustinza at Soccerway