Chema (footballer, born 1992) explained

Chema
Fullname:José Manuel Rodríguez Benito[1]
Birth Date:3 March 1992[2]
Birth Place:Caudete, Spain
Height:1.89 m
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Eibar
Youthclubs1:EDM Caudete
Youthyears2:2003–2007
Youthclubs2:Kelme
Youthyears3:2007–2010
Youthclubs3:Elche
Years1:2010–2011
Clubs1:Elche B
Caps1:32
Goals1:5
Years2:2011–2012
Clubs2:Atlético Madrid C
Caps2:18
Goals2:2
Years3:2012–2013
Clubs3:Atlético Madrid B
Caps3:2
Goals3:0
Years4:2013–2014
Clubs4:Alcorcón B
Caps4:11
Goals4:2
Years5:2013–2016
Clubs5:Alcorcón
Caps5:65
Goals5:6
Years6:2016–2019
Clubs6:Levante
Caps6:77
Goals6:6
Years7:2019–2020
Caps7:8
Goals7:0
Years8:2020–2022
Clubs8:Getafe
Caps8:15
Goals8:0
Years9:2022
Clubs9:Eibar (loan)
Caps9:17
Goals9:1
Years10:2022–
Clubs10:Eibar
Caps10:5
Goals10:0
Years11:2023–2024
Clubs11:Alcorcón (loan)
Caps11:24
Goals11:1
Club-Update:8 June 2024

José Manuel Rodríguez Benito (born 3 March 1992), known as Chema, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for SD Eibar. Mainly a central defender, he can also play as a left-back.

Club career

Early years

A product of Elche CF's youth system, Chema was born in Caudete, Province of Albacete, and he made his senior debut in 2010 with the reserves. In the following seasons he competed in Tercera División and Segunda División B, representing Atlético Madrid's C and B teams.[3] [4]

Alcorcón

Chema signed with AD Alcorcón in January 2013, being initially assigned to the B side in the fourth division.[5] He was promoted to the first team in August,[6] making his competitive debut on 6 October by starting in a 0–0 away draw against SD Eibar in the Segunda División.[7]

Chema scored his first professional goal on 30 March 2014, his team's only in the 3–1 away loss to Girona FC.[8] On 9 July, he was definitely promoted to the main squad.[9]

Levante

On 5 August 2016, Chema signed a four-year deal with Levante UD, still in the second tier.[10] He contributed three goals in 33 appearances in his first season, helping the club to return to La Liga at the first attempt.[11]

Chema's first match in the Spanish top flight took place on 21 August 2017, when he started a 1–0 home win over Villarreal CF.[12] He scored his first goal in the competition exactly one month later, helping the hosts defeat Real Sociedad 3–0 with a spectacular 44th-minute strike from just outside the box.[13]

Nottingham Forest

On 8 August 2019, Chema joined EFL Championship club Nottingham Forest on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[14] He made his official debut 19 days later, as a substitute in a 3–0 home win against Derby County in the second round of the EFL Cup.[15]

Getafe and Eibar

Chema returned to Spain on 30 January 2020, after being sold to Getafe CF for an undisclosed fee.[16] On 11 January 2022, he was loaned to second division side Eibar for the remainder of the season.[17]

On 21 July 2022, Chema terminated his contract,[18] and returned to Eibar on a three-year deal just hours later.[19] On 12 August 2023, after being rarely used during the campaign, he returned to Alcorcón on a one-year loan deal.[20]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atlético Madrid B2012–13Segunda División B2020
Alcorcón2013–14Segunda División9130121
2014–15Segunda División23010240
2015–16Segunda División33500335
Total656400000696
Levante2016–17Segunda División33300333
2017–18La Liga25120271
2018–19La Liga19220212
Total776400000816
Nottingham Forest2019–20Championship800020100
Getafe2019–20La Liga40000040
2020–21La Liga10020120
Total140200000160
Career total16612100200017812

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Acta del partido celebrado el 18 de mayo de 2019, en Valencia. Minutes of the match held on 18 May 2019, in Valencia. Royal Spanish Football Federation. es. 18 May 2019. 16 June 2019. 4 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210304121000/http://actas.rfef.es/actas/RFEF_CmpActa1?cod_primaria=1000144&CodActa=57319. dead.
  2. News: Chema. Diario AS. 8 September 2022.
  3. Web site: Entrevista – Chema Rodríguez Benito. Interview – Chema Rodríguez Benito. Caudete La Calle. es. 27 October 2011. 13 March 2021.
  4. News: El 'B' pagó demasiado caro sus errores atrás. B's paid dearly for their mistakes at the back. Mundo Deportivo. Juan. Heralta. es. 27 August 2012. 13 March 2021.
  5. Web site: Fútbol base: Partidos 2–3 de febrero. Youth football: 2–3 February matches. AD Alcorcón. es. 1 February 2013. 18 November 2013. dead. https://archive.today/20131118150907/http://www.adalcorcon.com/index.php/filiales/noticias/1753-futbol-base-partidos-2-3-de-febrero. 18 November 2013.
  6. Web site: OFICIAL: Alcorcón, dos canteranos con el primer equipo. OFFICIAL: Alcorcón, two youth players with the first team. Todo Mercado Web. Beatriz. Rodríguez. es. 15 August 2013. 18 November 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130820171325/http://www.todomercadoweb.es/mercado-futbolistico/oficial-alcorcon-dos-canteranos-con-el-primer-equipo-54098. 20 August 2013.
  7. News: Al cuadro armero le frena su falta de acierto ante la meta alfarera. Side of armeros denied by lack of aim in front of alfarera goal. Marca. es. 6 October 2013. 18 November 2013.
  8. News: Montilivi sueña de nuevo con la salvación tras vencer al Alcorcón. Montilivi dreams again of salvation after defeating Alcorcón. Marca. es. 30 March 2014. 9 April 2015.
  9. News: Los canteranos Chema Rodríguez y Dani Ponce tendrán ficha del primer equipo. Youth players Chema Rodríguez and Dani Ponce will have a first-team place. Mundo Deportivo. es. 9 July 2014. 10 August 2014.
  10. Web site: Acuerdo entre el Levante U.D. y la A.D. Alcorcón para el traspaso de Chema Rodríguez por las cuatro próximas temporadas. Agreement between Levante U.D. and A.D. Alcorcón for the transfer of Chema Rodríguez for the four following seasons. Levante UD. es. 5 August 2016. 5 August 2016.
  11. Web site: Chema Rodríguez, baluarte del Levante UD en 2017. Chema Rodríguez, Levante UD stalwart in 2017. Caudete Digital. es. 1 January 2018. 2 May 2018.
  12. News: La Liga echaba de menos a Morales. La Liga was missing Morales. Marca. José Ignacio. Pérez. es. 21 August 2017. 27 August 2017.
  13. News: Un gran Levante somete a la Real Sociedad: 3–0. Great Levante submit Real Sociedad: 3–0. El País. Salva. Folgado. es. 21 September 2017. 2 May 2018.
  14. Web site: Chema checks in. Nottingham Forest F.C.. 8 August 2019. 8 August 2019.
  15. Web site: Nottingham Forest 3–0 Derby County. BBC Sport. 27 August 2019. 25 September 2019.
  16. Web site: Chema departs. Nottingham Forest F.C.. 30 January 2020. 30 January 2020.
  17. Web site: Chema, refuerzo invernal para la defensa armera. Chema, winter addition of the armera defence. SD Eibar. es. 11 January 2022. 11 January 2022.
  18. Web site: Comunicado oficial Chema. Official announcement Chema. Getafe CF. es. 21 July 2022. 25 July 2022.
  19. Web site: Chema Rodríguez, nuevo jugador armero. Chema Rodríguez, new armero player. SD Eibar. es. 21 July 2022. 3 August 2022.
  20. Web site: Chema Rodríguez, nuevo refuerzo para la defensa alfarera. Chema Rodríguez, new addition for the alfarera defense. AD Alcorcón. es. 12 August 2023. 14 August 2023.