Mikel Oyarzabal reaches a historic milestone at Real Sociedad by matching Inaxio Kortabarria's 442 official appearances this Monday. The txuriurdin captain climbs to ninth place in the ranking of players with the most matches played for the club.
Oyarzabal made his La Liga debut on October 25, 2015 and has since built a career that already places him among the legends of the entity. Despite the serious injury he suffered in 2022 that kept him out for almost ten months, the number 10 has surpassed barriers like 100, 200, 300 and 400 matches. He entered the all-time top ten last March, when he reached 427 games, the figure that Mikel Aramburu held in tenth place for years.
What position does Oyarzabal hold now?
With 441 matches before Monday's game, Oyarzabal needs just one more to definitively surpass Kortabarria. Marca notes that the current captain appears destined to play as an attacking midfielder this season, a position he already trialed at the end of last campaign. This role allows him to contribute his technical quality in advanced areas, although he returned to Real after being the top scorer for the World Cup-winning Spanish national team while playing as a forward.
Regarding goals, Oyarzabal has 133 and only has Jesús Satrústegui's 162 ahead of him in the club's all-time top scorers ranking. His career is an example of consistency and improvement, maintaining a high level throughout more than a decade in the first team.
Which players can he surpass this season?
According to Marca's projections, Oyarzabal could climb to sixth place this same campaign. To do so he would need to surpass Agustín Gajate's 469 matches, Roberto López Ufarte's 474, and Miguel Fuentes' 495. That would leave him with a historical ranking where he'd only have Xabi Prieto (532), Luis Arconada (551), Jesús Mari Zamora (588), Juan Antonio Larrañaga (589) and Alberto Gorriz (599) ahead of him.
The captain's performance will be key for a team that currently occupies eleventh place in LaLiga EA Sports. Real Sociedad visits Elche CF this Monday in a match corresponding to the fourth matchday. The ilicitano squad arrives at the encounter in a complicated situation, occupying nineteenth place with just one point after three games.
How does Elche CF arrive at the match?
El Desmarque has published its possible lineups for Monday's clash at the Martínez Valero. Elche CF, managed by Martín Anselmi, faces the match with the confirmed absence of several important players. Adam Boayar, Yago Santiago, Fernando Niño and Thomas Lemar are currently injured, according to our verified data.
The franjiverde team has conceded nine goals in their first three league matches, scoring only three. This represents a goal difference of -6. In the overall standings, Elche is eight points behind leaders Barcelona. The complete squad and their fitness status are available on our squad page.
Who is Elche's new signing?
Roy Revivo is now officially an Elche CF player after completing his signing on the last day of the transfer market. The Israeli left-back, from Maccabi Tel Aviv, has committed to the ilicitano club until 2030. "Elche and playing in the First Division is a dream for me," declared the 23-year-old footballer.
Revivo completed his first training session on Friday under Martín Anselmi's orders at Díez Iborra. The player has explained that he has already had a conversation with his coach and thanked him for the confidence placed in him. "I am fit and ready to play," he assured, already thinking about the match against Real Sociedad.
Why did Elche sign Revivo?
Elche's general director, Pedro Schinocca, explained that signing Revivo was one of the club's "priority" objectives at the start of the market. "He rejected numerous offers to be with us," he stated. The ilicitano entity made an investment close to three million euros to secure the player's services, according to Marca's information.
The negotiations also saw an important role played by Haim Revivo, father of the new franjiverde full-back and former Celta de Vigo footballer during the 'EuroCelta' era of the late 1990s. His presence was fundamental in help the agreement between Elche and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Roy Revivo thus faces a new stage in his career with the objective of carving out a place in the top Spanish category.
Jornada Perfecta analyzes his signing from a fantasy perspective, highlighting his offensive records last season: seven goals and fifteen assists in 52 matches. The full-back stands out for his speed, power and ability to cover the flank, offering a profile with clear offensive vocation that fits into Anselmi's system.
The match between Elche CF and Real Sociedad will be played this Monday, September 7, 2026 at 21:30 hours at the Martínez Valero Stadium. Fans can check the complete season schedule on our fixtures page.
