Christian Fernández Salas
 Christian in action for Almería | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christian Fernández Salas | ||
| Date of birth | 15 October 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Santander, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left back | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Las Palmas | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Racing Santander | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2007 | Racing B | 108 | (16) |
| 2007–2012 | Racing Santander | 90 | (8) |
| 2008 | → Las Palmas (loan) | 23 | (4) |
| 2012–2013 | Almería | 36 | (6) |
| 2014 | D.C. United | 15 | (0) |
| 2014– | Las Palmas | 14 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 April 2015. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Christian Fernández Salas (born 15 October 1985), simply known as Christian, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for UD Las Palmas mainly as a left back.
Football career
Born in Santander, Cantabria, Christian was a product of hometown Racing de Santander's youth ranks, and he made his first-team debut on 7 January 2007 in a 0–2 away loss against Levante UD. During that season he appeared in a further nine La Liga games, scoring his first goal in a 5–4 home win against Athletic Bilbao three months later.[1]
Midway through the 2007–08 campaign Christian was loaned, alongside teammate Samuel, to second division strugglers UD Las Palmas,[2] and both proved instrumental in the Canary Islands' side retaining of its league status, with Fernández netting four goals.[3][4][5][6]
In 2009–10 Christian had a breakthrough year, playing 29 league matches for Racing and scoring twice, namely in a 3–1 win at CA Osasuna on 21 March 2010[7] as the club eventually avoided relegation. After S.L. Benfica decided to recall László Sepsi from his loan he had virtually no competitor for his position, and helped his team to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey, notably netting in a 3–2 away win over AD Alcorcón (which had previously ousted Real Madrid), also the final aggregate score.[8]
After the arrival of Domingo Cisma, Christian's playing time became more limited, but he still appeared in 38 contests in his last two seasons combined (as either a left or centre-back),[9] scoring four goals. Santander suffered relegation in 2012 and, on 9 July of that year, he signed a two-year contract with UD Almería in the second level.
On 29 December 2013, after being first-choice in the Andalusians' return to the top flight but only third-string subsequently, Christian was released. On 7 February of the following year, aged 28, he moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing with Major League Soccer club D.C. United.[10]
On 6 July 2014 Christian returned to his country, signing for three-years with former club Las Palmas, still in division two.[11]
References
- ↑ Racing Santander 5–4 Athletic Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 1 April 2007
- ↑ Christian Fernández se despide de la Unión rumbo a Santander (Christian Fernández bids farewell to Unión heading for Santander); Marca, 4 June 2008 (Spanish)
- ↑ Volvemos a la cruda realidad (2–1) (Back to the naked truth (2–1)); La Verdad, 20 January 2008 (Spanish)
- ↑ Las Palmas salva un punto ante el Racing de Ferrol (Las Palmas rescues point against Racing de Ferrol); Marca, 9 February 2008 (Spanish)
- ↑ La UD Las Palmas derrota a un Cádiz sin rumbo (UD Las Palmas beats drifting Cádiz); Diario Bahía Cádiz, 23 March 2008 (Spanish)
- ↑ Repaso de Las Palmas a un indolente Elche (Las Palmas steamrolls dormant Elche); Marca, 31 May 2008 (Spanish)
- ↑ Racing rediscover scoring touch; ESPN Soccernet, 21 March 2010
- ↑ El Alcorcón se baja de la carroza (Alcorcón gets off pedestal); El País, 6 January 2010 (Spanish)
- ↑ Christian se postula como sustituto de Cisma (Christian poised as Cisma replacement); La Nueva España, 22 February 2012 (Spanish)
- ↑ DC United sign Spanish left back Christian Fernandez Salas; Major League Soccer, 7 February 2014
- ↑ Christian Fernández, refuerzo para la banda izquierda (Christian Fernández, addition for left flank); Las Palmas' official website, 7 July 2014 (Spanish)
External links
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