Unai Pérez extends Lezama’s goalkeeping legend with Portuguese Cup win | OneFootball

Unai Pérez Alkorta, the former Bilbao Athletic goalkeeper now at second-tier Torreense, has won the Portuguese Cup against the odds, earning Europa League football next season after eliminating Sporting.

According to as.com, the Ondarroa-born keeper, from the same town as Kepa Arrizabalaga and Iñigo Martínez, came through Lezama from Aurrera, then helped Barakaldo win promotion to the Primera Federación last season with 30 appearances. He also featured for UD Logroñés B at Las Gaunas.

This season in Portugal, aged 24, he has started four league games and played five times in the Taça, including the first leg of the semi-finals.

His rise adds to Lezama’s goalkeeping production line, which includes Unai Simón, Julen Agirrezabala, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Remiro, Padilla, Santos, Raúl Fernández-Cavada, Herrerín, Ezkieta and Aitor Fernández.

Torreense remain in action despite the celebrations, with Pérez carrying the ikurriña as the first Basque to lift the Portuguese Cup. They face Casa Pía, home to former Athletic full-back Gaizka Larrazabal, in a play-out for a top-flight place on Thursday, after a 0-0 first leg at Torreense’s ground.

Source: as.com