Sergio Matabuena Explained

Sergio Matabuena
Fullname:Sergio Matabuena Delgado
Birth Date:12 February 1979
Birth Place:Santander, Spain
Height:1.850NaN0
Position:Midfielder
Youthclubs1:Racing Santander
Years1:1998–2002
Years2:2000–2001
Years3:2002–2007
Years4:2007–2011
Years5:2011–2012
Clubs1:Racing B
Clubs2:Velarde (loan)
Clubs3:Racing Santander
Clubs4:Sporting Gijón
Clubs5:Valladolid
Caps3:74
Caps4:82
Caps5:14
Goals3:5
Goals4:2
Goals5:0

Sergio Matabuena Delgado (born 12 February 1979) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Matabuena was born in Santander, Cantabria. A product of his hometown club Racing de Santander's youth system, he made his debut in La Liga on 17 November 2002 in a 1–2 home loss against RCD Mallorca,[1] and scored his first goals in the following season.[2] [3]

Never an undisputed starter, Matabuena would be a mere training partner upon Gonzalo Colsa's return to Racing in 2006 and, after only five appearances during 2006–07, he moved to Sporting de Gijón in the second division, being instrumental in helping them achieve a 2008 top flight return. In a campaign in which he collected 14 yellow cards (also netting two late goals in a 2–2 draw at Córdoba CF),[4] he earned the affectionate nickname "Matabuena Gattuso".[5]

Matabuena appeared significantly less in the following top level seasons – 14 matches in 2009–10 – being only second or third-choice holding midfielder. On 13 January 2011, at nearly 32, he returned to the second level and signed for Real Valladolid.[6]

Notes and References

  1. http://elpais.com/diario/2002/11/18/deportes/1037574008_850215.html El Mallorca agranda su récord (Mallorca extend record)
  2. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/2003/12/21/pagina-50/569326/pdf.html Atlético, punto y seguido (Atlético, check please)
  3. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/2004/04/19/pagina-26/759993/pdf.html La 'bestia' Baptista se come al Racing ('Beast' Baptista eats Racing up)
  4. http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/2a_division/cronica/es/desarrollo/1074972.html Matabuena salva al Sporting en Córdoba (Matabuena rescues Sporting in Córdoba)
  5. https://archive.today/20120904084300/http://www.lavozdeasturias.es/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=493262 ´Gattuso´ logra el doctorado (´Gattuso´ gets Ph.D.)
  6. http://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=651961 Matabuena rescinde su contrato con el Sporting para fichar por el Valladolid (Matabuena terminates his contract with Sporting to sign for Valladolid)