Corpas joins Eibar's elite 200 club with milestone on horizon
José Corpas has quietly become an Eibar legend, entering the club's all-time top 20 appearances list with remarkable consistency across five Segunda División seasons.
The versatile winger has been Mr. Reliable for Eibar since 2021, becoming only the third player alongside Arbilla and Álvarez to feature in all five of the club’s recent Segunda División campaigns.
Five years of consistency
While some players come and go through the revolving doors of Spanish football, José Corpas has been the model of consistency at Ipurua. The Jaén-born wide man arrived from Almería in summer 2021 and has been absolutely nailed-on for all three gaffers he’s played under.
What’s particularly impressive about Corpas’ run is his versatility and durability:
- Deployed as a right winger, left winger and even full-back when needed
- Barely missed a game through injury in five seasons
- Racked up 43 league appearances in each of his first two seasons
- 39 in his third campaign, 34 last term, and 21 already this season
- Missed just 16 league matches throughout his entire Eibar career
These numbers have propelled the 32-year-old into Eibar’s all-time top 20 appearance makers with 188 games under his belt. During that time, he’s contributed 27 goals and 15 assists - not too shabby for a player who’s often been asked to adapt his role.
Climbing the ladder
Corpas leapfrogged Igor Arenaza on Monday night in Granada and now has Altuna and Urzelai (both on 191 appearances) in his sights. Barring a complete mare, he’ll smash through the 200-game barrier this season, propelling him into the top 15 all-time.
What makes this achievement particularly special is that no player in Eibar’s history will have reached this milestone in just five seasons - talk about making up for lost time!
What’s next?
The big question hanging over Ipurua is whether Corpas will continue adding to his tally beyond this campaign. His contract expires on June 30th, and while the top 10 isn’t a million miles away, he’d need a new deal to crack that particular nut.
The player himself seems well up for extending his stay, recently stating: “For me it’s a pride to defend this shirt. It’s a very family-oriented club and I’ve felt loved from day one.”
For a club like Eibar, having characters who understand the fabric of the place is worth its weight in gold. Let’s see if they can sort out a new contract for their Mr. Dependable before the summer.