Pizzi (Portuguese footballer)

Pizzi

Personal information
Full name Luís Miguel Afonso Fernandes
Date of birth (1989-10-06) 6 October 1989
Place of birth Bragança, Portugal
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9 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 87 (19)
2013–2014 → Espanyol (loan) 34 (3)
National team‡
2008 Portugal U19 4 (1)
2010–2011 Portugal U21 2 (0)
Portugal U23 1 (0)
2012– Portugal 9 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 June 2017.
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 3 July 2017

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

Club career

Early years / Braga

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 match played 28 May 2017[17][18]
Club Season League Cup(s) Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bragança 2006–07 Second Division 4100—41
Braga 2007–08 Primeira Liga 0000—00
Ribeirão (loan) 2008–09 Second Division 25100—251
Covilhã (loan) 2009–10 Segunda Liga 14420—164
Paços Ferreira (loan) Primeira Liga 15121—172
2010–11 27784—3511
Braga 2011–12 20000020
Atlético Madrid (loan) 2011–12 La Liga 1012030151
Deportivo (loan) 2012–13 35810—368
Espanyol (loan) 2013–14 28361—344
Benfica 2014–15 Primeira Liga 2327210314
2015–16 31850100468
2016–17 331072804812
Total 872019419012524
Career total 24746401022030956

International

As of 3 July 2017[19]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Portugal 201211
201310
201400
201520
201600
201751
Total92

International goals

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first.[19]
No Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 14 November 2012 Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon  Gabon 1–1 2–2 Friendly
2. 3 June 2017 Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, Estoril, Portugal  Cyprus 3–0 4–0 Friendly

Honours

Club

Paços de Ferreira[18]
Atlético de Madrid[18]
Benfica[18]

International

Portugal

Individual

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 at ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  18. 1 2 3 4 Pizzi at Soccerway
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  19. 1 2 "Pizzi". National Football Teams. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ "Pizzi (SL Benfica), Paulinho (Portimonense) e Brahimi (FC Porto) destacam-se em outubro/novembro" [Pizzi (SL Benfica), Paulinho (Portimonense) e Brahimi (FC Porto) stand out in October/November]. Liga Portugal (in Portuguese). 14 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  22. ↑ "Pizzi foi o melhor do mês em dezembro" [Pizzi was player of the month in December]. zerozero (in Portuguese). 12 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  23. ↑ "Pizzi eleito o melhor jogador do ano" [Pizzi voted best player of the year]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 7 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
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