Rubén Peña Explained

Rubén Peña
Full Name:Rubén Peña Jiménez[1]
Birth Date:18 July 1991
Birth Place:Ávila, Spain
Height:1.70 m
Position:Right-back, winger
Currentclub:Osasuna
Clubnumber:15
Youthclubs1:Ávila
Years1:2010–2012
Caps1:64
Goals1:20
Years2:2012–2013
Caps2:22
Goals2:1
Years3:2012–2013
Caps3:4
Goals3:0
Years4:2013–2014
Caps4:33
Goals4:4
Years5:2014–2016
Caps5:60
Goals5:9
Years6:2016–2019
Caps6:87
Goals6:3
Years7:2019–2022
Caps7:52
Goals7:3
Years8:2022–
Caps8:49
Goals8:0
Club-Update:06:28, 21 June 2024 (UTC)

Rubén Peña Jiménez (born 18 July 1991) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right-back or winger for club Osasuna.

He made over 175 La Liga appearances for Valladolid, Eibar, Villarreal and Osasuna, winning the Europa League with the third of those clubs in 2021.

Career

Early career

Born in Ávila, Castile and León, Peña made his senior debut with local club Real Ávila CF in the Tercera División. In the summer of 2012 he signed for Real Valladolid, being initially assigned to the reserves in the same level.[2] [3]

Peña appeared in his first official game with the first team on 1 November 2012, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win against Real Betis in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey (3–1 aggregate loss).[4] He made his La Liga debut ten days later, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–1 home draw with Valencia CF.[5]

On 13 August 2013, Peña joined CD Guijuelo of Segunda División B.[6] On 10 July of the following year he moved to CD Leganés, newly promoted to the Segunda División.[7]

Eibar

On 16 June 2016, after being an important figure in Lega's first-ever promotion to the top flight, Peña signed a three-year deal with SD Eibar in the same league.[8] He finished his first season with 28 appearances and one goal, helping to a tenth-place finish.[9]

Peña was converted into a right-back by manager José Luis Mendilibar during 2017–18. He became a regular starter in that position the following campaign, after the departure of Ander Capa.[10]

Villarreal

On 4 July 2019, Peña joined Villarreal CF on a five-year contract.[11] He made his competitive debut on 17 August, starting and scoring an own goal in a 4–4 home draw against Granada CF.[12] His first goal in the correct net came on 2 February 2020 in a 3–1 victory over CA Osasuna also at the Estadio de la Cerámica.[13]

Peña struggled for game time after the signing of Juan Foyth in 2020, and was an unused substitute as the team won the 2021 UEFA Europa League final against Manchester United.[14] He was put up for sale,[15] and was due to be loaned to Deportivo Alavés at the start of 2022, but it was called off when he injured his collarbone in a cup game at Atlético Sanluqueño CF.[16]

Osasuna

On 17 June 2022, with Foyth, Mario Gaspar and Serge Aurier ahead of him at right-back, Peña reached an agreement to terminate his Villarreal contract three years early. On the same day, he signed for Osasuna until 2025.[17]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Valladolid2012–13La Liga402060
Guijuelo2013–14Segunda División B3340020354
Leganés2014–15Segunda División30110311
2015–16Segunda División30841349
Total6075100006510
Eibar2016–17La Liga28161342
2017–18La Liga28120301
2018–19La Liga31110321
Total873910000964
Villarreal2019–20La Liga26240302
2020–21La Liga1913080301
2021–22La Liga70202000111
Total5239010000713
Career total236192521002027321

Honours

Villarreal

2020–21[14]

Notes and References

  1. News: Rubén Peña. Diario AS. 22 May 2022.
  2. News: Rubén Peña, un centenario de Primera. Rubén Peña, one hundred Primera appearances. Diario de Ávila. Spanish. 14 November 2019. 3 February 2021.
  3. News: Asenjo y Rubén Peña vuelven al lugar donde se estrenaron en Primera. Asenjo and Rubén Peña return to place where they made their debut in Primera. Diario AS. Jesús. Domínguez. Spanish. 6 February 2020. 3 February 2021.
  4. News: El Valladolid mantiene su renta pese a estar media hora con diez. Valladolid stay atop in spite of playing half an hour with ten. Diario AS. Spanish. 1 November 2012. 6 March 2013.
  5. Web site: Valencia end away-day blues. ESPN FC. 11 November 2012. 6 March 2013.
  6. News: Rubén Peña se suma al nuevo proyecto del CD Guijuelo. Rubén Peña added to the new project of CD Guijuelo. Tribuna de Salamanca. Spanish. 13 August 2013. 24 May 2018.
  7. Web site: Rubén Peña, polivalencia en la banda derecha con pasado en Primera. Rubén Peña, right-wing versatility with a past in Primera. CD Leganés. Spanish. 10 July 2014. 22 May 2022.
  8. Web site: Rubén Peña será jugador de SD Eibar hasta 2019. Rubén Peña will be a SD Eibar player until 2019. Spanish. 16 June 2016. 18 June 2016.
  9. News: Rubén Peña busca mayor protagonismo. Rubén Peña in search of bigger protagonism. Mundo Deportivo. Pablo. Munilla. Spanish. 8 August 2017. 24 May 2018.
  10. Web site: Rubén Peña, ¿el sucesor de Capa?. Rubén Peña, the successor of Capa?. Vavel. Jordi. Grífol. Spanish. 5 February 2018. 31 August 2018.
  11. Web site: Rubén Peña, nuevo jugador del Villarreal CF. Rubén Peña, new player of Villarreal CF. Villarreal CF. Spanish. 4 July 2019. 4 July 2019.
  12. News: Villarreal and Granada draw in eight-goal thriller. Marca. Henry. Flynn. 18 August 2019. 18 August 2019.
  13. News: Alcacer helps Villarreal into the European places. Marca. Billy. Munday. 2 February 2020. 28 April 2022.
  14. Web site: Villarreal 1–1 Manchester United. BBC Sport. Simon. Stone. 26 May 2021. 26 May 2021.
  15. News: El Villarreal pone el cartel de transferible a Peña y busca lateral derecho. Villarreal put Peña up for transfer and look for a right back. Diario AS. Javier. Mata. Spanish. 4 June 2021. 28 April 2022.
  16. News: La lesión de Rubén Peña trunca su cesión al Deportivo Alavés. Rubén Peña's injury thwarts his loan to Deportivo Alavés. Diario AS. David. Esteve. Spanish. 24 December 2021. 28 April 2022.
  17. Web site: Defender finds new club instantly after Villarreal confirm his release three years early. SB Nation. Jamie. Kemble. 17 June 2022. 22 June 2022.