Juan Valera (footballer) facts for kids
Valera playing with Getafe in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Valera Espín | ||
| Date of birth | 21 December 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Murcia, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back, midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2002 | Bullense | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2004 | Murcia B | 36 | (9) |
| 2003–2005 | Murcia | 48 | (3) |
| 2005–2011 | Atlético Madrid | 71 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | → Racing Santander (loan) | 25 | (2) |
| 2011–2015 | Getafe | 94 | (3) |
| Total | 274 | (20) | |
| International career | |||
| 2006 | Spain U21 | 1 | (1) |
| 2005 | Spain U23 | 5 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Juan Valera Espín, born on December 21, 1984, is a Spanish former professional footballer. He used to play as a right-back, which is a defender on the right side of the field. He also played as a right midfielder, helping both defense and attack.
During his 11 seasons in La Liga, Spain's top football league, Juan Valera played 200 matches and scored eight goals. He played for several well-known teams like Murcia, Atlético Madrid, Racing de Santander, and Getafe.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting at Real Murcia
Juan Valera was born in Murcia, Spain. He began his professional football journey with his hometown team, Real Murcia CF. He first played in La Liga during the 2003–04 season. In that season, he appeared in ten games for the team.
Time at Atlético Madrid
For the 2005–06 season, Valera joined Atlético Madrid on a three-year contract. His time there was sometimes difficult due to injuries. On February 25, 2006, he scored two goals as a substitute in a big 5–0 home win against Málaga CF.
Loan to Racing Santander
On September 1, 2008, Valera agreed to play for Racing de Santander on a one-year loan. He scored his first goal for Racing on October 5. This goal was a last-minute winner in a 1–0 away game against CA Osasuna. He also scored in December during a UEFA Cup group stage match against Manchester City. However, Racing lost that game 3–1.
Returning to Atlético Madrid
Valera returned to Atlético Madrid for the 2009–10 season. He faced some physical problems at first. Despite this, he played regularly throughout the season, appearing in 36 matches. He mostly played as a right-back. He competed for this position with other international players like Luis Perea and Tomáš Ujfaluši.
He played in seven matches during Atlético Madrid's successful Europa League winning campaign. He played the full 90 minutes in three of these games. This included a 2–1 away loss to Liverpool in the semi-finals, which Atlético won on aggregate. He also played for one minute in the final match.
Moving to Getafe CF
In August 2011, Valera and Atlético Madrid ended his contract early. He then signed with another top-division team, Getafe CF. In his first season with Getafe, he became the main right-back. He took over from Miguel Torres.
He scored his first goal for Getafe on November 26, 2011. This goal was a header in the 67th minute. It was the only goal of the game against FC Barcelona at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. This win was Barcelona's first loss of that season.
Later Years and Retirement
In the second game of the 2012–13 season, Valera scored another important goal. From a set piece, he scored with his head to tie the game against Real Madrid. Getafe went on to win that home game 2–1.
On June 3, 2015, Valera left Getafe after his contract ended. He was later forced to retire from football at the age of 31 due to a hip injury.
Achievements
With Atlético Madrid
- UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2009–10
With Spain U23
- Mediterranean Games: 2005
See also
In Spanish: Juan Valera Espín para niños
