Antonio Amaya

Antonio Amaya

Amaya training with Betis in 2011
Personal information
Full nameAntonio Amaya Carazo
Date of birth31 May 1983
Place of birthMadrid, Spain
Height1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing positionCentre back
Club information
Current team
Rayo Vallecano
Number4
Youth career
San Cristóbal
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002–2003Rayo Vallecano B23(2)
2003–2009Rayo Vallecano124(5)
2004→ S.S. Reyes (loan)15(0)
2009–2011Wigan Athletic0(0)
2010–2011→ Rayo Vallecano (loan)28(0)
2011–2014Betis64(1)
2014–Rayo Vallecano16(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 April 2015.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Amaya and the second or maternal family name is Carazo.

Antonio Amaya Carazo (born 31 May 1983) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Rayo Vallecano as a central defender.

Football career

Early years / Rayo

Born in the capital of Madrid, Amaya began his football career at local San Cristóbal de los Ángeles. He joined another team in the community, Rayo Vallecano, in 2002, also serving a six-month loan spell at lowly UD San Sebastián de los Reyes in Segunda División B.

Eventually Amaya returned to Rayo, becoming an important defensive unit for the side which returned to Segunda División at the end of the 2007–08 season and comfortably maintained its league status the following campaign, with the player appearing in less than half of the games (18 out of 42).

Wigan

Amaya signed for Premier League team Wigan Athletic on a three-year contract on 14 August 2009,[1] being joined at the club by Rayo teammate Mohamed Diamé a week later.[2] He made his debut in a 1–4 defeat at Blackpool in the season's Football League Cup on the 26th, scoring his team's goal with a header in stoppage time.[3]

After failing to make a single league appearance in 2009–10, Amaya returned to former club Rayo, in a season-long loan.[4] He was regularly used as the club returned to La Liga after an eight-year absence.

Betis

On 18 July 2011 Wigan announced the departure of Amaya, who signed a three-year contract with Real Betis.[5]

He scored his first goal for the club on 1 December 2013, in a 2–2 home draw against former club Rayo.[6]

Return to Rayo

In early June 2014, following Betis' top flight relegation, Amaya once again returned to Rayo Vallecano.[7]

Personal life

Amaya's older brother, Iván, is also a footballer and a central defender. Both represented local Rayo.[8][9]

References

  1. ↑ "Defender Amaya agrees Wigan move". BBC Sport. 14 August 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  2. ↑ "Wigan complete capture of Diame". BBC Sport. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  3. ↑ "Blackpool 4–1 Wigan". BBC Sport. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Another defender departs". Wigan Today. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  5. ↑ "Wigan defender signs for Betis". Eurosport. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  6. ↑ "Al Betis todo son pulgas" [Everybody out to get Betis] (in Spanish). Marca. 1 December 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Antonio Amaya, primer refuerzo del Rayo para la próxima temporada" [Antonio Amaya, first Rayo addition for next season] (in Spanish). Sport. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "Antonio Amaya, hermano de Iván, novedad en la lista" [Antonio Amaya, Iván's brother, new to callup] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 14 March 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Los Amaya se citan en su segunda casa: Vallecas" [The Amayas meet in their second home: Vallecas] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2015.

External links