Juan Valera Espín
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Juan Valera Espín | ||
Date of birth | 21 December 1984 | ||
Place of birth | Murcia, Spain | ||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
Playing position | Right back / Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Getafe | ||
Number | 20 | ||
Youth career | |||
2000–2002 | Bullense | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
2002–2004 | Murcia B | ||
2003–2005 | Murcia | 48 | (3) |
2005–2011 | Atlético Madrid | 71 | (3) |
2008–2009 | → Racing Santander (loan) | 25 | (2) |
2011– | Getafe | 60 | (3) |
National team | |||
2006 | Spain U21 | 1 | (1) |
2005 | Spain U23 | 5 | (1) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 June 2013. † Appearances (Goals). |
Juan Valera Espín (born 21 December 1984 in Murcia) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Getafe CF in La Liga. He operates as a defender or midfielder, on the right side of the pitch.[1]
Club career
Valera made his professional debut at hometown Real Murcia, and first played in La Liga in 2003–04, appearing in ten games during the season. In the 2005–06 campaign he moved to Atlético Madrid, where his progression was marred by injuries;[2] on 25 February 2006 he scored twice as a substitute, in a 5–0 home win against Málaga CF.
On 1 September 2008, Valera agreed to a one-year loan at Racing de Santander.[3] On 5 October he netted his first goal for the Cantabrians, in a 1–0 win at CA Osasuna (in the 90th minute);[4] in December he also scored, but in an insufficient 3–1 UEFA Cup group stage triumph over Manchester City.[5]
Recalled for 2009–10, Valera also suffered initially with physical problems. However, he would manage to appear regularly for Atlético over the course of the campaign – more than 30 official matches – mainly as a right back, competing with internationals Luis Perea and Tomáš Ujfaluši for the position. He contributed with seven games in the Colchoneros' Europa League victorious campaign (although only three complete, including the 1–2 loss at Liverpool in the semifinals, 2–2 aggregate win[6]).
In mid-August 2011, after Valera and Atlético amicably rescinded the player's contract, which expired in June of the following year, he signed with fellow top-divisioner Getafe CF.[7] During his first season, he was first-choice right back, replacing longtime incumbent Miguel Torres, and scored his first goal of the campaign on 26 November 2011, handing FC Barcelona its first loss of the campaign through a 67th-minute header, for the game's only goal at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez.[8]
Again through a set piece and with his head, in the second game of 2012–13, Valera scored the equalizer to help Getafe to an eventual 2–1 home win against Real Madrid.[9]
Honours
- Atlético Madrid
- UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
- UEFA Super Cup: 2010
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007
- Spanish Cup: Runner-up 2009–10
- Spain U23
References
- ↑ "Juan Valera Espín" (in Spanish). Colchonero. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ↑ Contreras commits to Betis cause; UEFA.com, 16 May 2006
- ↑ Racing beat clock to sign trio; UEFA.com 2 September 2008
- ↑ Osasuna 0–1 Racing Santander; ESPN Soccernet, 5 October 2008
- ↑ "Racing piped at the post". UEFA.com. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
- ↑ Liverpool 2–1 Atletico Madrid (agg 2–2); BBC Sport, 29 April 2010
- ↑ El Atlético y el Getafe acuerdan el traspaso de Juan Valera (Atlético and Getafe agree on Juan Valera transfer); Atlético Madrid's website, 12 August 2011 (Spanish)
- ↑ Getafe humble Barca; ESPN Soccernet, 26 November 2011
- ↑ El Madrid no aprende (Madrid does not learn); Marca, 26 August 2012 (Spanish)
External links
- Getafe official profile (Spanish)
- BDFutbol profile
- Futbolme profile (Spanish)
- Transfermarkt profile
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