Asier Riesgo

Asier Riesgo
Personal information
Full nameAsier Riesgo Unamuno
Date of birth6 October 1983
Place of birthDeba, Spain
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Club information
Current team
Osasuna
Number1
Youth career
Amaikak Bat
Real Sociedad
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2001–2002Real Sociedad B18(0)
2002–2010Real Sociedad127(0)
2002–2004→ Eibar (loan)57(0)
2008–2009→ Recreativo (loan)38(0)
2010–Osasuna12(0)
National team
2001Spain U172(0)
2001–2002Spain U192(0)
2003Spain U2010(0)
2004–2005Spain U219(0)
2004–Basque Country6(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 February 2015.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Riesgo and the second or maternal family name is Unamuno.

Asier Riesgo Unamuno (born 6 October 1983 in Deba, Gipuzkoa) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CA Osasuna as a goalkeeper.

Football career

A product of Real Sociedad's youth ranks, Riesgo made his professional debuts with neighbour side SD Eibar in the second division, where he would play during one 1/2 seasons, being recalled in March 2004 due to an injury to first-choice Sander Westerveld. In the dying stages of the 2003–04 season he made his La Liga debut, playing against Deportivo Alavés on 19 May.

After Westerveld was waived in the summer, Riesgo became the Basque outfit's starter, but would have to battle with newly signed Claudio Bravo in the 2006–07 campaign. With the Chilean as the first-choice, Real was eventually relegated.

In 2007–08, however, Riesgo played in all 42 league games, although the club did not achieve a top flight return. In August 2008 he was loaned to Recreativo de Huelva for €350.000, with the team having the option to make the move permanent afterwards for €4.3 million and not having to pay the player's wages.[1]

An undisputed starter throughout the season, Riesgo stopped two penalty kicks on 4 January 2009, helping league strugglers Recre beat CD Numancia 3–1 at home.[2] On 11 April he became the first to ever deny Lionel Messi a penalty, clawing the Argentine's effort out of the air as he saw his side bow down to a 0–2 defeat at FC Barcelona;[3] eventually the Andalusians dropped down a level, with him appearing in all 38 matches.

In December 2009 Riesgo served a trial at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, as potential cover for injured Carlo Cudicini, lost for the season after a motorcycle accident.[4] Upon his return he found himself third-choice at Real Sociedad, behind Bravo and Eñaut Zubikarai, only totalling 630 minutes of play as the club returned to the top level after three years.[5][6]

On 18 June 2010, Riesgo – whose contract with Real Sociedad had expired – signed for Navarrese neighbours CA Osasuna, for three years.[7] He acted solely as backup during his tenure with the club, first to Ricardo then Andrés.

Honours

Club

Real Sociedad

Country

Spain U19
Spain U20

References

  1. ↑ Badiola cierra la cesión de Riesgo a espaldas de los administradores (Badiola closes Riesgo loan deal without the board of directors' knowledge); Diario Vasco, 4 August 2008 (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Recreativo Huelva 3–1 Numancia; ESPN Soccernet, 4 January 2009
  3. ↑ Barça edging closer to Liga glory; UEFA.com, 11 April 2009
  4. ↑ Tottenham give trial to Spanish goalkeeper Asier Riesgo; BBC Sport, 6 December 2009
  5. ↑ "Riesgo o Zubikarai: debate abierto para la portería" [Riesgo or Zubikarai: open debate in goal] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  6. ↑ "Riesgo volverá a defender la portería txuri urdin tras la lesión de Bravo y la sanción a Zubikarai" [Riesgo will return to txuri urdin goal after Bravo injury and Zubikarai suspension] (in Spanish). Marca. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. ↑ Osasuna presentará el lunes a Asier Riesgo (Osasuna to present Asier Riesgo on Monday); Osasuna's official website, 18 June 2010 (Spanish)

External links