Javi García

Javi García

García playing for Spain in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Francisco Javier García Fernández[1]
Date of birth	(1987-02-08) 8 February 1987
Place of birth	Mula, Spain
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Manchester City
Number	14
Youth career
1996–2004	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2007	Real Madrid B	86	(10)
2004	Real Madrid	3	(0)
2007–2008	Osasuna	25	(2)
2008–2009	Real Madrid	15	(0)
2009–2012	Benfica	74	(6)
2012–	Manchester City	38	(2)
National team‡
2002	Spain U16	3	(1)
2003–2005	Spain U17	21	(4)
2005–2006	Spain U19	9	(2)
2007	Spain U20	5	(1)
2008–2009	Spain U21	9	(0)
2012–	Spain	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:54, 16 September 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 May 2012

Francisco Javier "Javi" García Fernández (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈxaβi ɣarˈθi.a ferˈnandeθ]; born 8 February 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Manchester City in England. A defensive midfielder by nature, he can also appear as a central defender.

He started his career with Real Madrid, but represented mostly the reserve team, going on to have a three-year spell with Benfica in Portugal. In 2012 he signed with Manchester City.

García represented Spain at various youth levels, namely appearing with the under-21s at the 2009 European Championship.

Club career

Real Madrid

A product of Real Madrid's youth system, García was born in Mula, Region of Murcia, and played three La Liga games with the first team whilst still a junior, making his debut at the age of 17 in a 5–0 home win against Levante UD on 28 November 2004.^[3] After that he would spend the entire 2005–06 with Real Madrid Castilla, the team's B-side, in Segunda División.

The summer of 2006 was a very busy one for García. First, he won the UEFA European Football Championship with the under-19s,^[4] impressing first-team head coach Fabio Capello, who recalled him to training sessions. He played in most of Real's pre-season games, including a starting line-up spot in both Ramón de Carranza Trophy games, playing in central midfield alongside new purchase Émerson; he would not appear for the main squad officially in 2006–07, nonetheless.

In August 2007, in the season of García's supposed definitive promotion to the first team, coach Bernd Schuster would eventually prevent that golden opportunity (as fellow cantera players Rubén de la Red and Esteban Granero also left the club) and offers began to appear from clubs in the Premier League including Liverpool, and domestic teams such as Atlético Madrid and Deportivo de La Coruña. García would finally settle for CA Osasuna on 31 August, signing for four seasons for a fee of €2.5 million as the Navarre side was keen to replace injury-struck midfielder Javad Nekounam (out of action for several months); having first appeared in a 1–1 home draw with Sevilla FC (one minute played) he scored twice in his first six matches, in wins against Levante (4–1)^[5] and Villarreal CF (3–2).^[6]

García's contract included a buy-back clause that could see him return to Real Madrid for €4 million. On 29 April 2008 Osasuna officially reported that the Merengues had exercised their purchase option, and the player returned to the Santiago Bernabéu for 2008–09;^[7] he made his first league appearance for Real in his second spell during his side's 7–1 thrashing of Sporting de Gijón on 24 September, coming on as a second-half substitute for Mahamadou Diarra.^[8]

Benfica

Deemed surplus to requirements at Real Madrid, García signed for S.L. Benfica in Portugal on 21 July 2009, for five years and a fee of €7 million.^[9] An undisputed starter throughout his first season, he also found the net on three occasions, most notably through a header in the last minute for the game's only goal against Associação Naval 1º de Maio at home,^[10] as the club clung onto the top position on 9 November and eventually won the national championship.

García appeared in 43 official matches for the Reds in 2011–12. His only two goals of the season came against Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Lisbon derby (1–0 home win),^[11] and at Chelsea for the season's UEFA Champions League quarterfinals: in the latter he netted from a corner kick in the 85th minute to make it 1–1, but ten-men Benfica eventually lost it 1–2 and 1–3 on aggregate.^[12]

Manchester City

On 31 August 2012, García signed with Manchester City for £15.8 million.^[13] He made his league debut on 15 September in a 1–1 away draw against Stoke City, scoring with his head from a Carlos Tevez free kick.^[14]

After picking up a thigh injury in the early minutes of the Champions League group stage contest against Borussia Dortmund, García went on to miss several weeks of action.^[15] He made his return against West Ham United, replacing Tevez in the 84th minute of a 0–0 draw at Upton Park;^[16] on 15 December he started in a 3–1 success at Newcastle United, netting the second goal.

International career

García represented the Spanish under-21s at the 2009 UEFA European Football Championship, appearing against England (0–2 loss)^[17] in an eventual group stage exit.

He gained his first cap for the full side on 26 May 2012, playing 22 minutes in a 2–0 friendly win with Serbia in St. Gallen.^[18]

Honours

Club

Real Madrid B

• Segunda División B: 2004–05

Real Madrid

• Supercopa de España: 2008

Benfica

• Primeira Liga: 2009–10
• Taça da Liga: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12

Manchester City

• FA Cup: Runner-up 2012–13

Country

Spain U19

• UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship: 2006

Club statistics

References

External links

• Manchester City official profile
• BDFutbol profile
• National team data
• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo
• Javi García – FIFA competition record
• Javi García – UEFA competition record
• Transfermarkt profile
• Premier League profile