Jorge Larena Explained

Jorge Larena
Fullname:Jorge Larena-Avellaneda Roig
Birth Date:29 September 1981
Birth Place:Las Palmas, Spain
Height:1.81 m
Position:Attacking midfielder
Youthclubs1:Las Palmas
Years1:1997–2000
Years2:2000–2002
Years3:2002–2005
Years4:2005–2008
Years5:2008–2011
Years6:2012–2013
Years7:2013–2014
Years8:2014–2019
Clubs1:Las Palmas B
Clubs2:Las Palmas
Clubs3:Atlético Madrid
Clubs4:Celta
Clubs5:Las Palmas
Clubs6:Huesca
Clubs7:Recreativo
Clubs8:AEK Larnaca
Caps2:69
Caps3:83
Caps4:77
Caps5:81
Caps6:55
Caps7:29
Caps8:151
Totalcaps:545
Goals2:8
Goals3:4
Goals4:9
Goals5:4
Goals6:1
Goals7:1
Goals8:24
Totalgoals:51
Nationalyears1:2002–2003
Nationalteam1:Spain U21
Nationalcaps1:13
Nationalgoals1:4

Jorge Larena-Avellaneda Roig (born 29 September 1981), known as Larena, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played usually as an attacking midfielder.

He played 193 La Liga matches over seven seasons (15 goals), in representation of three teams, mainly Las Palmas for which he also appeared in the Segunda División. He also spent five years in the Cypriot First Division at the service of AEK Larnaca.

Club career

Larena was born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. A product of hometown club UD Las Palmas' youth ranks, he played one game for the first team in the 1999–2000 season as they returned to La Liga after an absence of 12 years, and was first choice the following two top-flight campaigns, suffering relegation in the second after scoring seven goals from 36 matches. He made his debut in the competition on 23 September 2000, six days before his 19th birthday, in a 1–1 home draw against Real Valladolid.[1]

In summer 2002, Larena signed for Atlético Madrid, being regularly played by the Colchoneros over three seasons but rarely as a starter (37 appearances in that condition). Subsequently, he joined fellow top-division side RC Celta de Vigo, being relegated at the end of 2006–07. He scored six times the following year, but the Galicians nearly dropped down another level.[2]

On 16 July 2008, Larena returned to his native region and Las Palmas, agreeing to a three-year contract with the Segunda División club.[3] He made his official debut on 30 August, playing the entire 1–0 loss at Real Sociedad.[4]

Larena appeared in only 13 matches (617 minutes of action) in 2010–11, and did not have his contract renewed.[5] [6] After being released by Las Palmas he went on trial at Football League One's AFC Bournemouth[7] and Greenock Morton in the Scottish Football League First Division,[8] but nothing came of it and he eventually signed for SD Huesca.[9]

Having joined in 2014 at the age of 33, Larena then spent several seasons in the Cypriot First Division with AEK Larnaca FC, sharing teams with a host of compatriots.[10]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[11] [12] [13]
ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Las Palmas1999–2000Segunda División10000010
2000–01La Liga32110331
2001–0236720387
Total69830728
2002–03La Liga28140321
2003–0429240332
2004–052614030331
Total83412030984
2005–06La Liga26240302
2006–071612040221
2007–08Segunda División35610366
Total7797040889
Las Palmas 2008–09Segunda División39000302
2009–1029200292
2010–1113211143
Total81411825
2011–12Segunda División18100181
2012–1337000370
Total55100551
2013–14Segunda División29140331
2014–15Cypriot First Division30560365
2015–162741020304
2016–173254080445
2017–183274181449
2018–193035092445
Total1512420127319828
Career total5455147234362656

Honours

AEK Larnaca

2017–18[14]

2018[15]

Notes and References

  1. News: Las Palmas y Valladolid igualan en el Insular. Las Palmas and Valladolid all square at the Insular. Mundo Deportivo. P.. García. Spanish. 24 September 2000. 16 January 2019.
  2. Web site: Jorge Larena. Yo Jugué en el Celta. Spanish. 28 December 2009. 23 March 2015.
  3. News: Jorge Larena: "Es uno de los días más felices de mi vida". Jorge Larena: "This is one of the happiest days of my life". Canarias7. Spanish. 16 July 2008. 15 February 2021.
  4. News: Injusta victoria de la R. Sociedad. Unfair win for R. Sociedad. Mundo Deportivo. Xabier. Isasa. Spanish. 31 August 2008. 16 January 2019.
  5. News: Jorge Larena: "Es lógico que no me renueven, pero queda tiempo para lograrlo". Jorge Larena: "I find it logical that my contract is not renewed, but there's still time to do it". Canarias7. Alberto. Artiles Castellano. Spanish. 12 April 2011. 15 February 2021.
  6. Web site: Jorge Larena: "Mi corazón siempre será amarillo". Jorge Larena: "My heart will always be yellow". UD Las Palmas. Spanish. 4 June 2011. 4 January 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110921050621/http://www.udlaspalmas.es/actualidad-noticias-1676. 21 September 2011.
  7. News: MacDonald comes through reserve test unscathed. Bournemouth Daily Echo. Ian. Wadley. 30 November 2011. 31 October 2012.
  8. Web site: Morton take Spaniard and Finn on trial. Scottish Television. 12 December 2011. 12 December 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120122004016/http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-first/morton/287325-morton-take-spaniard-and-finn-on-trial/. 22 January 2012.
  9. News: Jorge Larena, tercer refuerzo invernal. Jorge Larena, third winter signing. Diario AS. Jorge. Puyuelo. Spanish. 31 January 2012. 31 January 2012.
  10. News: El 'Spanish AEK Larnaca' insiste con su fórmula en Chipre. Spanish AEK Larnaca insist on formula in Cyprus. Diario AS. Quique. Rubio. Spanish. 22 August 2016. 18 September 2017.
  11. Web site: Jorge Larena: Jorge Larena-Avellaneda Roig. BDFutbol. 23 February 2015.
  12. Web site: Jorge. Soccerway. 18 December 2014.
  13. Web site: Jorge. Footballdatabase. 18 December 2014.
  14. Web site: Cyprus 2017/18. RSSSF. Xaris. Xarilaou. 31 May 2022.
  15. Web site: Cyprus – List of Super Cup Finals. RSSSF. Xaris. Xarilaou. 5 July 2022.