Borja Oubiña

Borja Oubiña

Oubiña in 2009
Personal information
Full name Borja Oubiña Meléndez
Date of birth 17 May 1982 (1982-05-17) (age 29)
Place of birth Vigo, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current club Celta Vigo
Number 4
Youth career
1988–1989 Moledo
1989–1994 Gran Peña
1994–2001 Celta Vigo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2001–2004 Celta B 68 (5)
2004– Celta Vigo 133 (3)
2007–2008 → Birmingham City (loan) 2 (0)
National team
2006 Spain 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 October 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Oubiña and the second or maternal family name is Meléndez.

Borja Oubiña Meléndez (born 17 May 1982 in Vigo) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Celta de Vigo as a defensive midfielder.

After starting his career at local Celta de Vigo, he had his first abroad adventure in England in 2007, but his spell was immediately cut short with a severe knee injury.

Contents

Club career

A ball-winning midfielder who came through the youth teams of hometown Real Club Celta de Vigo, Oubiña first appeared with the first team, courtesy of Miguel Ángel Lotina, during 2003–04, in a 2–2 draw at Valencia CF, as the Galicia squad, then also participating in the UEFA Champions League, eventually finished second from bottom in La Liga. He became a mainstay in the subsequent seasons, under Fernando Vázquez's managerial reign. After Celta's relegation in 2006–07, Oubiña stated his desire to leave, although still under contract and, as of August, it seemed that countryman José Antonio Camacho's S.L. Benfica were in the pole to acquire his services, but an agreement could not be reached on a fee – rumoured to be €10 million.[1]

On 31 August 2007, a one-year loan to Premier League side Birmingham City was agreed.[2] Oubiña made his Birmingham debut on 15 September, as a late substitute against Bolton Wanderers. After 13 minutes of the next game, at Liverpool, he sustained an injury in a collision with Dirk Kuyt to his left anterior cruciate ligament, and was expected to be sidelined for at least six months.[3]

On 9 February 2008, Oubiña's loan spell at Birmingham was cancelled by mutual consent,[4] and he returned to Vigo to start his recovery. On 6 December, more than a year after his last appearance, he played four minutes in a 0–2 loss at UD Las Palmas, and played 15 games in all in the 2008–09 season. He relapsed in mid-September 2009, and underwent surgery in October preparatory to the planned reconstruction of his cruciate ligament in early 2010, after which he would miss the remainder of 2009–10.[5]

International career

Oubiña earned two caps for the Spain national football team, the first coming on 2 September 2006, against Liechtenstein in Badajoz (4–0 success). He replaced David Albelda in the second half of a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier.

Club statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
2001–02 Celta B Segunda División B 35 1 - - - - 35 1
2002–03 20 3 - - - - 20 3
2003–04 13 1 - - - - 13 1
2003–04 Celta Vigo La Liga 12 0 1 0 2 0 15 0
2004–05 Segunda División 30 1 1 0 - - 31 0
2005–06 La Liga 36 1 2 0 - - 38 0
2006–07 30 1 ? ? ? ? 30 1
2007–08 Segunda División 1 0 - - - - 1 0
England League FA Cup Europe Total
2007–08 Birmingham City Premier League 2 0 - - - - 2 0
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
2008–09 Celta Vigo Segunda División 15 0 - - - - 15 0
2009–10 Celta Vigo Segunda División 0 0 - - - - 0 0
Total Spain
England 2 0 - - - - 2 0
Career total

References

  1. ^ "El Celta negocia con el Benfica el traspaso de Oubiña [Celta in negotiations with Benfica for Oubiña transfer]" (in Spanish). El Correo Gallego. 23 August 2007. http://www.elcorreogallego.es/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58778&Itemid=61&idMenu=25&idNoticia=201704. Retrieved 3 October 2009. 
  2. ^ "Birmingham sign midfielder Oubiña". BBC Sport. 31 August 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/6973573.stm. Retrieved 25 September 2007. 
  3. ^ "Oubiña facing six-month absence". BBC Sport. 24 September 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/7010492.stm. Retrieved 25 September 2007. 
  4. ^ "Oubiña leaves Blues". Birmingham City. 9 February 2008. http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1236798,00.html. Retrieved 9 February 2008. 
  5. ^ López, Víctor (5 October 2009). "La operación a Borja Oubiña reveló que su ligamento estaba destrozado [Borja Oubiña operation revealed that his ligament was destroyed]" (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/deportes/2009/10/06/0003_8018696.htm. Retrieved 6 October 2009. 

External links

Celta de Vigo – current squad