Betis captain Joaquin to equal La Liga appearance record

Real Betis captain Joaquin is set to equal the all-time La Liga appearance record for an outfield player.

Real Madrid legend Raúl currently holds that status having made 550 top-flight appearances in Spain, with winger Joaquin set to equal that should he play against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano this weekend, as highlighted by El Mundo Deportivo.

The all-time record in the Primera is held by Andoni Zubizarreta (622 matches) who had lengthy stints at Athletic Club Bilbao, Barcelona and Valencia.

Joaquin scored his first ever career hat-trick in this season’s 3-2 win over Athletic Club Bilbao –becoming the oldest player to ever score a treble in Spain’s top-flight, while he also registered a hat-trick of assists in a 3-1 win over Levante earlier this campaign.

He has made 154 La Liga appearances since returning to his boyhood club Betis from Fiorentina – where he made 49 appearances in Serie A – in the summer of 2015.

Joaquin, who celebrates his 39th birthday this summer, is currently the oldest player in the division following the retirement of Athletic Club striker Aritz Aduriz.

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