Sergio (footballer, born 1977)
Sergio during the 2012 European Match Day Against Hunger | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Sergio Fernández González | ||
Date of birth | 23 May 1977 | ||
Place of birth | Avilés, Spain | ||
Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
Playing position | Centre back | ||
Youth career | |||
1992–1994 | Sporting Gijón | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1994–1996 | Sporting B | 51 | (2) |
1996–1999 | Sporting Gijón | 84 | (2) |
1999–2006 | Celta | 130 | (4) |
2006–2008 | Zaragoza | 55 | (1) |
2008–2012 | Osasuna | 81 | (4) |
2012 | Sporting Gijón | 1 | (0) |
Total | 402 | (13) | |
National team | |||
1997–2000 | Spain U21 | 12 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
Sergio Fernández González (born 23 May 1977), known simply as Sergio, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender.
Over the course of 17 years as a professional, he played mainly for Celta and Osasuna, starting and ending his career with Sporting de Gijón. He appeared in 295 La Liga games over the course of 15 seasons, scoring nine goals.
Football career
A tall, lanky defender, Sergio was born in Avilés, Asturias, and emerged through Sporting de Gijón's youth system, making his first appearance for the main squad on 7 January 1996 in a 3–2 home win against UD Salamanca. He would play three further seasons as an undisputed first-choice, with the club being relegated from La Liga in 1998.
Sergio joined Celta de Vigo in the summer of 1999, being a somewhat important defensive figure in the Galician club's domestic and European consolidation. After relegation at the end of the 2003–04 campaign (19 games played), he contributed with one goal in a 2–1 home win against Xerez CD on 9 January 2005 as the side eventually returned to the top division, and continued to appear prominently as they immediately achieved a UEFA Cup position.
For 2006–07, Sergio signed with Real Zaragoza, reuniting with former Celta manager Víctor Fernández and teammate Juanfran[1] and playing 28 matches en route to another sixth place in the league, which again led to the UEFA Cup. However, in spite of his late equalizer against Real Madrid on 11 May 2008, in a 2–2 home draw, the Aragonese were relegated at the end of his second year.[2]
In mid-November 2008, Sergio signed with CA Osasuna until the end of the top flight season, as the Navarrese lost Rovérsio for its duration due to a serious knee injury in a Copa del Rey contest against Getafe CF. He received the Brazilian's No. 16 jersey.[3]
The veteran continued being regularly used by Osasuna in the following years, under both José Antonio Camacho and his successor José Luis Mendilibar. On 6 March 2011, he headed home a 92nd-minute corner kick in a 1–0 away win against Málaga CF in what was his team's first away triumph of the campaign.[4]
On 20 June 2012, after having contributed with one goal in 20 games to help Osasuna retain its league status, 35-year-old Sergio signed for two years with former club Sporting, in turn relegated to the second division.[5] Only four months later, however, he decided to retire due to a chronic injury.[6]
References
- ↑ Fernández lands former charges; UEFA.com, 3 July 2006
- ↑ Real Zaragoza 2–2 Real Madrid; ESPN Soccernet, 11 May 2008
- ↑ Osasuna llega a un acuerdo por Sergio Fernández (Osasuna reaches agreement for Sergio Fernández); CA Osasuna, 19 November 2008 (Spanish)
- ↑ Fernandez breaks Osasuna duck in dramatic style; ESPN Soccernet, 6 March 2011
- ↑ Sergio Fernández presentado oficialmente en Mareo (Sergio Fernández officially presented in Mareo); Sporting de Gijón, 26 June 2012 (Spanish)
- ↑ Sergio Fernández decide dejar el fútbol (Sergio Fernández decides to quit football); Sporting de Gijón, 21 October 2012 (Spanish)
External links
- Sergio profile at BDFutbol
- Celta de Vigo biography (Spanish)
- Sergio profile at Soccerway