Dani Abalo

Dani Abalo
Personal information
Full nameDaniel Abalo Paulos
Date of birth29 September 1987
Place of birthVilagarcía de Arousa, Spain
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing positionWinger
Club information
Current team
Ludogorets
Number17
Youth career
Vilagarcía SD
Cambados
2005Celta
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2005–2008Celta B84(10)
2006–2013Celta104(7)
2012Gimnàstic (loan)17(0)
2013Beira-Mar (loan)8(2)
2013–Ludogorets51(13)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:43, 20 April 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Abalo and the second or maternal family name is Paulos.

Daniel "Dani" Abalo Paulos (born 29 September 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Bulgarian club PFC Ludogorets Razgrad as a right winger.

Club career

Celta

Born in Vilagarcía de Arousa, Pontevedra, Abalo joined local Celta de Vigo for his last year as a junior, then proceeded to make his senior debuts with the B-team in Segunda División B. On 3 December 2006 he made his first official appearance with the main squad, coming in as a late substitute in a 2–2 La Liga away draw against RCD Mallorca;[1] in late July 2009 he extended his contract with the Galicians until 2013, with a buyout clause of 10 million.[2]

From 2008 to 2011, with Celta in Segunda División, Abalo was an important first-team element. However, in the 2011–12 season, as the club returned to the top flight after an absence of five years, he only contributed with four games and 67 minutes, being subsequently loaned in quick succession to Gimnàstic de Tarragona[3] and S.C. Beira-Mar (the latter in Portugal).[4]

Ludogorets

On 26 June 2013, Bulgarian champions PFC Ludogorets Razgrad announced they were set to sign Abalo after he became a free agent shortly after.[5] The transfer was completed the following day after he passed his medical, and the player agreed to a two-year contract,[6] being given the number 17 shirt.[7]

Abalo played his first game with his new team on 17 July 2013, featuring in a 1–2 away defeat against ŠK Slovan Bratislava for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. He made his league debut three days later, in a 0–1 loss at FC Lyubimets 2007; in the second leg tie against Slovan on the 24th, he scored twice for a 3–0 win at Ludogorets Arena and the subsequent qualification.[8]

Abalo made his debut in the Champions League group phase on 16 September 2014, grabbing a 1–1 equalizer away against Liverpool in the 90th minute, but in an eventual 1–2 loss.[9] He repeated the feat in the second match between the two sides, in a 2–2 draw.[10]

Honours

Ludogorets

Club statistics

As of 20 April 2015[11]
Club Season Division League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Celta B 2005–06 Segunda División B 153153
2006–07 343343
Celta 2006–07 La Liga 100010
Celta B 2007–08 Segunda División B 354354
Celta 2007–08 Segunda División 200020
2008–09 35210362
2009–10 29280382
2010–11 33311344
2011–12 402060
Gimnàstic 2011–12 17000170
Celta 2012–13 La Liga 001010
Total Spain 207171440022121
Beira-Mar 2012–13 Primeira Liga 820082
Total Portugal 82000082
Ludogorets 2013–14 A Group 26671934210
2014–15 257411033911
Total Bulgaria 51131121968121

References

External links