Javi Lara Explained

Javi Lara
Fullname:Javier Lara Grande
Birth Date:4 December 1985
Birth Place:Montoro, Spain
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Alcorcón
Clubnumber:15
Youthclubs1:Córdoba
Years1:2003–2007
Years2:2006
Clubs2:Villanueva (loan)
Caps2:12
Goals2:2
Years3:2006
Clubs3:Real Unión (loan)
Caps3:5
Goals3:0
Years4:2007
Clubs4:Écija (loan)
Caps4:13
Goals4:1
Years5:2007–2008
Caps5:29
Goals5:1
Years6:2008–2009
Caps6:31
Goals6:0
Years7:2009–2010
Caps7:9
Goals7:0
Years8:2010
Clubs8:Alcoyano (loan)
Caps8:15
Goals8:0
Years9:2011
Caps9:15
Goals9:1
Years10:2011–2012
Caps10:31
Goals10:5
Years11:2012–2013
Caps11:40
Goals11:9
Years12:2013–2014
Caps12:37
Goals12:4
Years13:2014–2015
Caps13:31
Goals13:1
Years14:2015
Caps14:6
Goals14:1
Years15:2016
Caps15:16
Goals15:1
Years16:2016
Caps16:17
Goals16:3
Years17:2017–2019
Caps17:65
Goals17:3
Years18:2019–2022
Caps18:74
Goals18:7
Years19:2022–
Caps19:69
Goals19:2
Club-Update:8 June 2024

Javier "Javi" Lara Grande (born 4 December 1985) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for AD Alcorcón.

Club career

Born in Montoro, Córdoba, Lara graduated from local Córdoba CF's youth setup, and made his senior debut with the reserves in the 2003–04 season, in the Tercera División. After Segunda División B loan stints with CD Villanueva,[1] Real Unión[2] and Écija Balompié,[3] he moved to another reserve team, UD Almería B, in August 2007.[4]

In the summer of 2008, Lara joined RSD Alcalá also of the fourth division. On 20 July 2009, he signed a two-year contract with Elche CF in the Segunda División.[5] He played his first match as a professional on 3 September 2009, starting and featuring the full 90 minutes in a 3–2 away loss against FC Cartagena in the second round of the Copa del Rey.[6] He made his league debut three days later, coming on as a second-half substitute in the 4–1 defeat at CD Numancia.[7]

On 29 January 2010, after being sparingly used by the Andalusians, Lara was loaned to CD Alcoyano until June.[8] He then moved to Valencia CF's B team in January 2011 after six months of inactivity,[9] following which he competed in division three with Lucena CF[10] and Alcoyano.[11]

On 17 July 2013, Lara signed a one-year deal with SD Ponferradina.[12] On 24 June of the following year, he moved to SD Eibar, recently promoted to La Liga.[13] He made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 24 August 2014, starting and scoring the game's only goal (also the club's first ever in the competition) through a free kick in a win against Real Sociedad at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium.[14]

Lara moved abroad at the age of nearly 30, joining ATK in the Indian Super League on 17 July 2015.[15] He scored his first goal for the team on 13 October in their first home game of the season, a 2–1 victory over Kerala Blasters FC with Pelé in attendance at the Salt Lake Stadium.[16]

In November 2015, after being ruled out of the season due to an injury, Lara was consequently released and replaced by his compatriot Jorge Alonso.[17] On 2 February of the following year, he returned to his home country after agreeing to a short-term deal at CD Tenerife.[18]

On 12 August 2016, Lara returned to India and Atlético Kolkata.[19] On 10 January 2017, he signed for Córdoba until 30 June.[20]

Lara returned to Spain in August 2019, with the 33-year-old joining UD Ibiza for two seasons as a free agent.[21] He was a regular starter in the side's first-ever promotion to the second division in 2021, before leaving on 18 May 2022.[22]

On 4 July 2022, Lara signed for AD Alcorcón of the Primera Federación.[23]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Villanueva (loan)2005–06[24] Segunda División B122122
Real Unión (loan)2006–07Segunda División B502070
Écija (loan)2006–07Segunda División B131131
2009–10Segunda División9010100
Alcoyano (loan)2009–10Segunda División B15020170
2011–12Segunda División B31540355
2012–13Segunda División B40942114512
2013–14Segunda División37410384
2014–15La Liga31120331
2015[25] Indian Super League6161
2015–16Segunda División16100161
ATK2016Indian Super League173173
2016–17Segunda División21100211
2017–18Segunda División24000240
Total45100451
Career total277281027129431

Notes and References

  1. http://www.minuto90.com/index.php?page=59&ampliar=5484&p=59 Javi Lara ya ejerce de rojillo (Javi Lara already acts as a red)
  2. http://www.minuto90.com/index.php?page=67&ampliar=8861&p=67 Javi Lara se marcha al Real Unión de Irún (Javi Lara goes to Real Unión de Irún)
  3. http://sevilla.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-27-01-2007/sevilla/Cordoba/javi-lara-deja-el-real-union-de-irun-y-jugara-la-segunda-vuelta-en-el-ecija_1631139233000.html Javi Lara deja el Real Unión de Irún y jugará la segunda vuelta en el Écija (Javi Lara leaves Real Unión de Irún and will play the second round with Écija)
  4. http://www.minuto90.com/index.php?page=2&ampliar=100003378&p=2 Javi Lara y Chapi firman en Almería B y Díter Zafra (Javi Lara and Chapi sign with Almería B and Díter Zafra)
  5. http://www.marca.com/2009/07/20/futbol/equipos/elche/1248093828.html El Elche ficha a Javi Lara y consigue la cesión del jugador del Valencia Ximo Navarro (Elche sign Javi Lara and get loan of Valencia player Ximo Navarro)
  6. http://www.marca.com/2009/09/03/futbol/copa_rey/1251930906.html 'Hat trick' de Toché y épica remontada del Cartagena (Toché 'hat trick' and epic comeback from Cartagena)
  7. http://www.marca.com/2009/09/06/futbol/2adivision/1252261604.html Un Numancia sobrado golea al Elche y se coloca líder por goles (Large Numancia thrash Elche and are leaders due to goals)
  8. http://www.marca.com/2010/01/29/futbol/equipos/elche/1264768348.html Javi Lara se marcha cedido al Alcoyano (Javi Lara goes on loan to Alcoyano)
  9. http://www.valenciacf.com/ver/17527/el-mestalla-ficha-a-javi-lara.html El Mestalla ficha a Javi Lara (Mestalla sign Javi Lara)
  10. http://www.cordobadeporte.com/las-maletas-de-lara-se-detienen-en-lucena-16981-19 Las maletas de Lara se detienen en Lucena (Lara's luggage stops in Lucena)
  11. http://www.diarioinformacion.com/deportes/2012/07/14/cordobes-javi-lara-vuelve-disciplina-alcoyano/1274637.html El cordobés Javi Lara vuelve a la disciplina del Alcoyano (Córdoba's own Javi Lara returns to Alcoyano's discipline)
  12. http://www.marca.com/2013/07/17/futbol/equipos/ponferradina/1374090490.html La Ponferradina ficha por un año a Javi Lara (Ponferradina sign Javi Lara for a year)
  13. http://www.sdeibar.com/-/javi-lara-primer-fichaje-de-la-s-d-eibar Javi Lara primer fichaje de la S.D. Eibar (Javi Lara first signing of S.D. Eibar)
  14. http://www.espnfc.com/spanish-primera-divisi%C3%B3n/story/2001649/eibar-beat-real-sociedad-in-la-liga Lara seals dream start for Eibar
  15. http://clubatleticodemadrid.com/noticias/javi-lara-nueva-adquisicion-del-atletico-de-kolkata Javi Lara, nueva adquisición del Atlético de Kolkata (Javi Lara, new Atlético de Kolkata acquisition)
  16. Web site: ISL 2015: Atletico de Kolkata see off Kerala Blasters to secure 2–1 win. Sportskeeda. Dipesh. Agarwal. 13 October 2015. 22 October 2015.
  17. Web site: Indian Super League: Atletico de Kolkata rope in Jorge Alonso as a replacement for Javi Lara. Goal. Atanu. Mitra. 16 November 2015. 19 November 2015.
  18. http://www.clubdeportivotenerife.es/noticia/javi-lara-nuevo-jugador-del-cd-tenerife Javi Lara, nuevo jugador del CD Tenerife (Javi Lara, new player of CD Tenerife)
  19. http://www.hindustantimes.com/football/helder-postiga-retained-as-atletico-de-kolkata-marquee-borja-lara-stay/story-YLXa7grRNQbEELJaG0jjMI.html Helder Postiga retained as Atletico de Kolkata marquee; Borja, Lara stay
  20. http://www.cordobacf.com/noticia/javi-lara-nuevo-jugador-del-cordoba-c-f Javi Lara, nuevo jugador del Córdoba C.F. (Javi Lara, new player of Córdoba C.F.)
  21. News: El fichaje mediático ya está aquí. The galáctico signing has arrived. Periódico de Ibiza. Tomás. Sánchez Venzalá. es. 1 August 2019. 7 October 2019.
  22. Web site: Comunicado oficial Javi Lara – David Morillas. Official announcement Javi Lara – David Morillas. UD Ibiza. es. 18 May 2022. 8 August 2022.
  23. Web site: Javi Lara, nuevo jugador de la A.D. Alcorcón. Javi Lara, new player of A.D. Alcorcón. AD Alcorcón. es. 4 July 2022. 8 August 2022.
  24. Web site: Javi Lara: Javier Lara Grande. BDFutbol. 19 July 2015.
  25. Web site: Javi Lara. Soccerway. 20 July 2015.