Pizzi (Portuguese footballer)

This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is Afonso and the second or paternal family name is Fernandes.
Pizzi

Pizzi celebrating a goal for Deportivo in 2012
Personal information
Full name Luís Miguel Afonso Fernandes
Date of birth (1989-10-06) 6 October 1989
Place of birth Bragança, Portugal
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Central midfielder, Winger
Club information
Current team
 Benfica
Number 21
Youth career
1999–2007 Bragança
2007–2008 Braga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2007 Bragança 4 (1)
2008–2012 Braga 2 (0)
2008–2009 → Ribeirão (loan) 25 (1)
2009 → Covilhã (loan) 14 (4)
2010–2011 → Paços Ferreira (loan) 42 (8)
2011–2012 → Atlético Madrid (loan) 11 (1)
2012–2013 Atlético Madrid 0 (0)
2012–2013 → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 35 (8)
2013– Benfica 41 (8)
2013–2014 → Espanyol (loan) 34 (3)
National team‡
2008 Portugal U19 4 (1)
2010–2011 Portugal U21 2 (0)
2012– Portugal 4 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 February 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 June 2015

Luís Miguel Afonso Fernandes (born 6 October 1989), known as Pizzi, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Benfica and the Portugal national team.

Club career

Early years / Braga

Born in Bragança, Trás-os-Montes, Pizzi started his career at local club G.D. Bragança, appearing in four third division games whilst still a junior. He completed his formation in Minho, signing for S.C. Braga in 2007.

Loaned by Braga, Pizzi made his senior debuts also in the third level, with G.D. Ribeirão. For the 2009–10 season, in the same predicament, he joined S.C. Covilhã, but left in the following transfer window to F.C. Paços de Ferreira, still owned by Braga. He made his top division debut on 16 January 2010, playing 25 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against F.C. Porto.

In 2010–11, Pizzi scored seven league goals for Paços, only missing three league matches. On 8 May 2011 he netted a hat-trick in a 3–3 draw at Porto, which turned out to be the only home league game that the eventual champions failed to win during the season.[1]

Spain

On 30 August 2011 Pizzi moved to Spanish team Atlético Madrid, on loan until the end of the year, after which the Colchoneros had an option to buy the player permanently for €13.5 million,[2][3] which they did in October of the following year.[4][5] He made his La Liga debut on 18 September 2011, replacing also newly signed Radamel Falcao midway through the second half of a 4–0 home win against Racing de Santander.[6]

Along with several compatriots, initially still under contract with Braga, Pizzi moved to Deportivo de La Coruña for the 2012–13 campaign. In only his second appearance, through a penalty kick, he helped the Galicians come back from 1–3 at Valencia CF for a final 3–3 draw, scoring his team's last goal;[7] he added a brace against FC Barcelona on 20 October 2012 – one of the goals coming through a superbly-taken free kick – but his team lost 4–5 at the Riazor Stadium.[8]

On 26 July 2013 Pizzi signed a six-year contract with S.L. Benfica, for a fee of €6 million for half of his economic rights,[9] being immediately loaned to RCD Espanyol also in Spain's top flight.[10][11]

Benfica

In the 2014–15 season, Pizzi joined Portuguese champions Benfica and was converted from winger to central midfielder, like his predecessor Enzo Pérez. On 5 October 2014, Pizzi debuted in a 4–0 win against Arouca in Primeira Liga.[12][13] On 14 January 2015, Pizzi scored his first goal for Benfica, from a penalty kick, in another 4–0 home win against Arouca, this time in the third round of league cup.[14] On 28 February, Pizzi scored his first goal for Benfica in the league, in the thrashing of Estoril (6–0).[15]

International career

Pizzi made his debut for Portugal on 14 November 2012 in a friendly with Gabon, scoring through a penalty in an eventual 2–2 draw in Libreville.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of 23 January 2016[17][18]
Club Season Domestic League Domestic Cup* Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bragança 2006–07 4100—41
Braga 2007–08 0000—00
Ribeirão (loan) 2008–09 25100—251
Covilhã (loan) 2009–10 14420—164
Paços Ferreira (loan) 15121—172
2010–11 27784—3511
Braga 2011–12 20000020
Atlético Madrid (loan) 2011–12 1012030151
Deportivo (loan) 2012–13 35810—368
Espanyol (loan) 2013–14 28361—344
Benfica 2014–15 2327210314
2015–16 1654060275
Total 39712270585
Career total 1993333810024241

*Includes the League Cup and Super Cup.

International

International appearances

As of 16 June 2015
National team Year Apps Goals
Portugal 201211
201310
201520
Total41

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 14 November 2012 Stade d'Angondjé, Libreville  Gabon 1–1 2–2 Friendly

Honours

Paços de Ferreira
Benfica

References

  1. ↑ Vitoria Setubal beat Sporting to guarantee survival, Naval & Portimonense relegated; PortuGOAL, 8 May 2011
  2. ↑ Relatório e contas anuais (Yearly report and finance); Braga's official website, 23 September 2011 (Portuguese)
  3. ↑ Official: Atletico Madrid sign Pizzi from Sporting Braga on loan; Goal.com, 30 August 2011
  4. ↑ Relatório e contas anual (Yearly report and finance); Braga's official website, 16 October 2012 (Portuguese)
  5. ↑ El Atlético paga por Pizzi 13,5 millones en cuatro años (Atlético pays 13,5 million for Pizzi in four years); Diario AS, 18 October 2012 (Spanish)
  6. ↑ Falcao hits hat-trick in romp; ESPN Soccernet, 18 September 2011
  7. ↑ Deportivo battle back for victory; ESPN Soccernet, 26 August 2012
  8. ↑ Deportivo 4–5 Barcelona: Messi hits hat-trick as the Riazor rains goals; Goal.com, 20 October 2012
  9. ↑ "Pizzi jugará en el Benfica" [Pizzi will play in Benfica] (in Spanish). Atlético's official website. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "Comunicado" [Announcement] (PDF) (in Portuguese). CMVM. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "Pizzi i Sidnei, nous reforços" [Pizzi and Sidnei, new signings] (in Catalan). Espanyol's official website. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Pizzi: "Dar o máximo para estar à disposição de Jorge Jesus"" (in Portuguese). Benfica. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "SL Benfica – Arouca, 4-0: Resposta de Campeão consolida liderança!" (in Portuguese). Benfica. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "Benfica - Arouca (Fase 3 - jornada 2 Taça da Liga 2014-2015) - Liga Portugal". LPFP (in Portuguese). 14 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  15. ↑ "Benfica - Estoril (Jornada 23 Liga NOS 2014-2015) - Liga Portugal" (in Portuguese). LPFP. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  16. ↑ "Gabon 2–2 Portugal: Seleccao pay the penalty for defensive indiscipline". Goal.com. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  17. ↑ Pizzi profile at ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  18. ↑ Pizzi profile at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  19. ↑ Cunha, Pedro Jorge (17 May 2015). "Benfica bicampeão: 28 com as faixas e dois à espera" [Benfica back-to-back champion: 28 with the sashes and two await] (in Portuguese). Maisfutebol. Retrieved 19 May 2015.

External links

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