| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Casto Espinosa Barriga | ||
| Date of birth | 18 June 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Badajoz, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Betis | ||
| Number | 13 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Pueblo Nuevo | |||
| 1999–2001 | Mérida | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001–2003 | Mérida | 7 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Logroñés | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Albacete B | ||
| 2006 | Albacete | 1 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Betis B | 13 | (0) |
| 2007– | Betis | 54 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Casto Espinosa Barriga, simply Casto (born 18 June 1982 in Badajoz, Extremadura), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Betis in the Spanish first division, as a goalkeeper.
Casto spent four years at Mérida UD, making seven league appearances in the third division. In 2003 he moved to CD Logroñés where he spent one season, before playing in Segunda División side Albacete Balompié, with one first-team appearance during 2005–06.
Real Betis purchased Casto in 2006, where he initially began as third-choice goalkeeper, behind Pedro Contreras and Toni Doblas. With the arrival of Portuguese Ricardo in the following season, it seemed as though he would be provided with little opportunity to shine, even with Contreras' departure. However, after a serious injury to Doblas, Casto was called-up from the B team; after Ricardo also went down with a minor ailment, he made his debut in the top flight on 16 December 2007, against UD Almería, in a 3–1 home triumph.
In March 2008, Casto, who eventually overtook Ricardo as first-choice after the latter's recovery, featured in Betis' first three back-to-back victories in over two years, with wins over CA Osasuna, FC Barcelona and Real Zaragoza. In his first five games, Betis won four, with Casto keeping clean sheets in three.
As coach Francisco Chaparro stayed on the bench for 2008–09, Casto won the battle for first-choice over Ricardo, being the side's undisputed starter during the early stages, a situation which would revert midway through the season.
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