Roberto Fernández (footballer, born 1979)

Roberto Fernández Alvarellos (born 25 January 1979), known simply as Roberto, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Roberto
Roberto in 2010
Personal information
Full name Roberto Fernández Alvarellos
Date of birth (1979-01-25) 25 January 1979
Place of birth Chantada, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+12 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Celta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Celta B 71 (0)
2002–2008 Sporting Gijón 197 (0)
2008–2010 Osasuna 28 (0)
2010–2015 Granada 131 (0)
2015–2018 Lugo 23 (0)
Total 447 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Roberto was born in Chantada, Lugo. After several years struggling at RC Celta de Vigo, never making it past its B team, he moved to Sporting de Gijón in 2002.[1] Save for his first season, when he was backup to Juanjo Valencia, he was a starter during his spell,[2] winning the Ricardo Zamora Trophy in the 2005–06 campaign by conceding only 31 goals in 38 games whilst going unbeaten for 825 minutes with the Segunda División club.[3]

In June 2008, after playing all the league matches but one to help Sporting return to the top division after a ten-year absence,[4] Roberto also moved to La Liga, signing a three-year contract with CA Osasuna.[5] After spending his first year on the bench, he eventually beat competition from veteran Ricardo (formerly of Manchester United)[6] and became first choice, but lost it again in the 2009–10 season, appearing almost exclusively in the Copa del Rey – he took the field in the league's last two rounds, with the Navarrese already safe from relegation.

On 14 July 2010, Roberto was released by Osasuna and signed a three-year deal with Granada CF,[7] returned to the second tier after 22 years. He only missed two games in the regular season in his first year, then starred in the play-offs in an eventual second consecutive promotion for the Andalusians.[8]

Roberto started in three of the four following seasons, all spent in the top flight. He joined CD Lugo on 17 July 2015, after his contract expired.[9]

On 1 June 2018, after spent the majority of his spell with the Galicians as second choice, Roberto announced his retirement at the age of 39.[10]

References

  1. Calleja, José Luis; Rodríguez, S. (20 July 2002). "Caras nuevas en ambos equipos" [New faces in both teams]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  2. Rosety, Manuel (10 February 2004). "Roberto: 637 minutos sin encajar ningún gol" [Roberto: 637 minutes without conceding a goal]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  3. García, S. (16 July 2006). "La joya de la corona" [The jewel of the crown]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  4. "El Sporting le brindó el ascenso a Quini diez años después" [Sporting toasted promotion to Quini ten years later]. Marca (in Spanish). 15 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  5. "Osasuna ficha al portero Roberto Fernández por tres temporadas" [Osasuna sign goalkeeper Roberto Fernández for three seasons]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 18 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  6. Martínez de Zúñiga, Uxue (29 August 2008). "Roberto: "Ricardo y yo llevamos bien la rivalidad"" [Roberto: "Ricardo and I have a quite sane rivalry"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  7. "El Granada cierra el fichaje del portero Roberto" [Granada complete signing of goalkeeper Roberto]. Marca (in Spanish). 14 July 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  8. Lamelas, Rafael (18 June 2011). "Apoteósico ascenso" [Apotheotic promotion]. Ideal (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  9. "El portero Roberto Fernández acaba de firmar con el CD Lugo" [Goalkeeper Roberto Fernández has just signed with CD Lugo] (in Spanish). CD Lugo. 17 July 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  10. Baniela, Dani (1 June 2018). "Roberto cuelga los guantes tras 17 temporadas y 400 partidos" [Roberto hangs up his gloves after 17 seasons and 400 matches]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 June 2018.
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