Mikel Rico
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mikel Rico Moreno | ||
| Date of birth | 4 November 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Basauri, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| CD Padura | |||
| 2000–2003 | Baskonia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001 | Baskonia | 1 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Conquense B | ||
| 2004–2005 | Conquense | 44 | (3) |
| 2005–2009 | Poli Ejido | 55 | (2) |
| 2005–2006 | → Conquense (loan) | 35 | (9) |
| 2007–2008 | → Huesca (loan) | 35 | (6) |
| 2009–2010 | Huesca | 42 | (5) |
| 2010–2013 | Granada | 114 | (7) |
| 2013– | Athletic Bilbao | 59 | (7) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 March 2015. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Mikel Rico Moreno (born 4 November 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao as a central midfielder.
Football career
Born in Basauri, Biscay, Rico played lower league football for the vast majority of his early years as a senior. The exception to this was in the 2006–07 season when he played twenty games for Polideportivo Ejido in Segunda División, starting three times to help the Andalusians rank in 11th position;[1] he also represented during that timeframe CD Baskonia, UB Conquense[2] (reserves included) and SD Huesca.
In the 2009 summer, Rico returned to Huesca and the second level. On 19 June 2010 he scored one of his five goals during the campaign in a 1–0 away win against Celta de Vigo, being crucial as the Aragonese side finally avoided relegation.[3]
Rico moved to fellow league club Granada CF on 31 August 2010, for €600.000 and four years.[4] He posted similar individual numbers in his first year – 40 matches, two goals,[5][6] nearly 3,500 minutes of action – and his team returned to La Liga after more than three decades; he displayed versatility in the process, featuring in several positions.[7]
Rico made his debut in the top flight on 27 August 2011 at neary 27 years of age, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–1 derby home loss against Real Betis.[8] He scored his first goal in the competition on 31 October, contributing to a 2–1 success at Sevilla FC through a 90th-minute strike;[9] during his spell, he played as a box-to-box midfielder as well as a defensive one.[10]
Rico joined Athletic Bilbao in late August 2013, penning a three-year deal with a €35 million buyout clause.[11] He played his first game with his new team on 1 September, the first half of a 1–3 away defeat to Real Madrid.[12]
References
- ↑ El Poli Ejido presenta a Manolo y Rico (Poli Ejido presents Manolo and Rico); Marca, 19 July 2006 (Spanish)
- ↑ Mikel Rico despegó como futbolista en la UB Conquense... con un look diferente (Mikel Rico took off as footballer in UB Conquense... with different look); Ideal, 31 December 2011 (Spanish)
- ↑ Mikel Rico sella la permanencia del Huesca (Mikel Rico seals Huesca permanence); Diario de Sevilla, 20 June 2010 (Spanish)
- ↑ El Granada ficha a Mikel Rico (Granada signs Mikel Rico); Marca, 31 August 2010 (Spanish)
- ↑ El Granada mantiene su buena racha ante el Girona (2–1) (El Granada continues streak against Girona (2–1)); Granada Hoy, 3 October 2010 (Spanish)
- ↑ Nàstic 0–3 Granada; Gimnàstic's official website, 8 May 2011 (Spanish)
- ↑ Mikel Rico vale para todo (Mikel Rico does it all); El País, 15 June 2011 (Spanish)
- ↑ Rubén Castro hace justicia (Rubén Castro does justice); El País, 27 August 2011 (Spanish)
- ↑ Sevilla slip up against Granada; ESPN Soccernet, 31 October 2011
- ↑ La nueva responsabilidad de Mikel Rico (Mikel Rico's new responsibility); Ideal, 13 October 2012 (Spanish)
- ↑ La Liga: Athletic Bilbao sign midfielder Mikel Rico from rivals Granada; Sky Sports, 22 August 2013
- ↑ Isco at the double to beat Bilbao; ESPN FC, 1 September 2013
External links
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