Melli (Spanish footballer)

Melli
Personal information
Full name Juan Alberto Andreu Alvarado
Date of birth (1984-06-06) 6 June 1984
Place of birth Barbate, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 12 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
Neftchi Baku
Number 5
Youth career
1988–2001 Betis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2004 Betis B 58 (1)
2002Poli Ejido (loan) 2 (0)
2002–2010 Betis 177 (4)
2010–2011 Tenerife 25 (1)
2011–2013 Gent 59 (3)
2013–2014 Sheriff 23 (3)
2014–2015 Ergotelis 10 (1)
2015 Simurq 14 (0)
2015– Neftchi Baku 18 (0)
National team
2000–2001 Spain U16 6 (1)
2001 Spain U17 4 (1)
2002–2003 Spain U19 8 (0)
2003 Spain U20 9 (0)
2003–2006 Spain U21 20 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 February 2016.

† Appearances (goals)
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Andreu and the second or maternal family name is Alvarado.

Juan Alberto Andreu Alvarado (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmeʎi]; born 6 June 1984), known as Melli, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Azerbaijani club Neftchi PFK. A versatile defender, he can appear as either a right back or a central defender.

He spent most of his professional career at Betis, for which he appeared in 215 official games and won one Copa del Rey.

Club career

Born in Barbate, Cádiz, Melli joined Real Betis as a 14-year-old, and made his way up through the ranks until he reached the reserve team in 2001. He served a small loan stint at Andalusia neighbours Polideportivo Ejido in the late stages of the 2001–02 season, with two appearances in the second division.

Melli scored his first career goal through a header from a Joaquín corner kick, against CA Osasuna on 18 September 2004 (2–3 away loss). He also appeared in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup during the 2005–06 campaign: in the latter he netted an essential goal at AZ Alkmaar, which allowed Betis to progress into the next round –[1] this came just one week after having scored two unfortunate own goals against FC Barcelona in a La Liga match at the Camp Nou.[2]

Melli won his first medal for Betis during the 2005 final of the Copa del Rey against Osasuna at the Vicente Calderón Stadium, on 11 June 2005, playing the full 90 minutes plus extra time in an eventual 2–1 win. He continued to be a defensive presence in the following seasons for the Verdiblancos, playing an average of 25 league games and suffering relegation in 2008–09.

In late August 2011, after another relegation, now with CD Tenerife (in the second level) whom he joined in the 2010 summer – a second consecutive for the Canary Islands club – Melli moved abroad for the first time and signed a two-year contract for K.A.A. Gent in Belgium, joining compatriot César Arzo. After leaving in the 2013 summer he represented, in quick succession, FC Sheriff Tiraspol, Ergotelis FC, Simurq PIK[3] and Neftchi PFK, the latter two sides competing in the Azerbaijan Premier League.[4]

International career

Melli represented the Spanish national team at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels.

Personal life

Melli's nickname stems from the Spanish word mellizo (twin), as he himself is a twin. His brother Víctor is also a footballer, also being nicknamed Melli. A goalkeeper, he never played in higher than division three during his career.[5]

Club statistics

As of 25 August 2015
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Betis 2002–03[6] La Liga 80101[lower-alpha 1]0100
2003–04[6] La Liga 400040
2004–05[6] La Liga 29170361
2005–06[6] La Liga 3105[lower-alpha 2]011[lower-alpha 3]1471
2006–07[6] La Liga 27060330
2007–08[6] La Liga 26020280
2008–09[6] La Liga 26140301
2009–10[6] Segunda División 26210272
Total 17742601212155
Tenerife 2010–11[6] Segunda División 25100251
Gent 2011–12[7] Belgian Pro League 37341414
2012–13[7] Belgian Pro League 220324[lower-alpha 4]1293
Total 5937341707
Sheriff 2013–14[7] Divizia Naţională 233303[lower-alpha 4]0293
Ergotelis 2014–15[7] Superleague Greece 10100101
Simurq 2014–15[7] Azerbaijan Premier League 14040180
Neftchi Baku 2015–16[7] Azerbaijan Premier League 20002[lower-alpha 4]040
Career total 3101240321237117
  1. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  2. Includes appearances in Supercopa de España
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
  4. 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Club

Betis
Sheriff

Country

Spain U16
Spain U19
Spain U20

References

  1. Melli swoops to revive Betis
  2. Blistering Barça back in the groove; UEFA.com, 18 February 2006
  3. "Simurq daha bir futbolçu ilə müqavilə imzaladı" (in Azerbaijani). Simurq PFK. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  4. Нефтчи подписал бывшего защитника Симурга [Neftchi signed former Simurg defender] (in Russian). Azeri Sport. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  5. Mellizos en el fútbol mundial (III) (Twins in world football (III)); Diarios de Fútbol, 23 November 2007 (Spanish)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Melli: Juan Alberto Andreu Alvarado". BDFutbol. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Melli". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  8. Dani delivers for Betis; UEFA.com, 12 June 2005

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, February 14, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.