Toni Lato Explained

Toni Lato
Full Name:Antonio Latorre Grueso
Birth Date:21 November 1997
Birth Place:Pobla de Vallbona, Spain
Height:1.71 m
Position:Left-back
Currentclub:Mallorca
Clubnumber:3
Youthclubs1:Valencia
Years1:2014–2017
Clubs1:Valencia B
Caps1:34
Goals1:0
Years2:2016–2023
Clubs2:Valencia
Caps2:78
Goals2:2
Years3:2019
Clubs3:PSV (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2020
Clubs4:Jong PSV (loan)
Caps4:2
Goals4:0
Years5:2020
Clubs5:Osasuna (loan)
Caps5:8
Goals5:1
Years6:2023–
Clubs6:Mallorca
Caps6:28
Goals6:0
Nationalyears1:2015
Nationalteam1:Spain U18
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:2016
Nationalteam2:Spain U19
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2017–2018
Nationalteam3:Spain U21
Nationalcaps3:4
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:5 June 2024

Antonio Latorre Grueso (born 21 November 1997), known as Toni Lato or simply Lato, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for La Liga club Mallorca.

Formed at Valencia, he made over 90 appearances for the club, winning the Copa del Rey in 2019 and also featuring on loan at Osasuna in La Liga.

Club career

Born in La Pobla de Vallbona, Valencia,[1] Lato was a Valencia CF youth graduate. He made his debut as a senior with the reserves on 29 March 2014, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–0 home draw against Elche CF Ilicitano.[2]

On 25 June 2015, Lato signed a new contract with the Che, agreeing to a five-year deal and being definitely promoted to the B-team.[3] On 6 January of the following year he was first included in a first team matchday, remaining unused in a 4–0 home win against Granada CF for the season's Copa del Rey last 16.[4] He made his first team debut on 25 February 2016, replacing fellow youth graduate José Luis Gayà at half time in a 4–0 UEFA Europa League away routing of SK Rapid Wien;[5] his first La Liga game was the following 9 January, when he came on as a half-time substitute for Guilherme Siqueira in a 3–3 draw against CA Osasuna.[6]

Lato scored his first competitive goal for the Che on 18 April 2019, netting the first in a 2–0 home defeat of Villarreal CF for the season's Europa League, helping his team qualify for the semifinals as a result.[7] He was unused on 25 May as the team beat league champions FC Barcelona 2–1 in the 2019 Copa del Rey Final.[8] On 5 July, he signed a contract extension with Valencia until 2023; his release clause was set at 80 million.[9]

Immediately after signing the extension, Lato was loaned out to Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven for one year.[9] He left the club on 26 December, after playing just in the stoppage time of a 3–0 Europa League home win against Apollon Limassol and two appearances for the B-team in the Eerste Divisie; he was also publicly criticised by manager Mark van Bommel.[10]

On the same day as leaving the Netherlands, Lato was loaned to Osasuna in the Spanish top tier, until the end of the season.[10] He scored his first La Liga goal on 24 June by netting the game's only goal in an away defeat of Deportivo Alavés.[11] On 23 October, he scored his first such goal for Valencia, consolation in a 2–1 loss at Elche CF;[12] he continued to face competition not only from Gayà but from another academy product, Jesús Vázquez.[13] [14]

On 26 June 2023, Lato signed a four-year contract with fellow top tier side RCD Mallorca.[15]

Personal life

Lato's father, also named Antonio, and uncle Vicente were both footballers. The latter played mostly for Valencia's city rivals, Levante UD.[16]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Valencia B2013–14Segunda División B1010
2014–151010
2015–16100100
2016–1722060280
Total340000060400
Valencia2015–16La Liga00001010
2016–17801090
2017–1816040200
2018–19404051131
2020–2114130171
2021–2211050160
2022–23300030
Total5611706100792
PSV (loan)2019–20Eredivisie00001010
Jong PSV (loan)2019–20Eerste Divisie2020
Osasuna (loan)2019–20La Liga810081
Career total100217071601303

Honours

Valencia

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Debut de Toni Lato al València C.F.. Toni Lato's debut at Valencia C.F.. La Pobla Televisió. Catalan. 3 March 2016. 24 March 2016.
  2. Web site: Un punto para el Mestalla que sirve de poco. A point for Mestalla which means little. Super Deporte. es. 29 March 2014. 24 March 2016.
  3. Web site: El Valencia blinda a Lato. Valencia tie down Lato. Super Deporte. es. 25 June 2015. 24 March 2016.
  4. Web site: Negredo regala el pase al Valencia. Negredo gives the pass to Valencia. Marca. es. 6 January 2016. 24 March 2016.
  5. Web site: On-song Valencia smash Europa League record. UEFA.com. 25 February 2016. 24 March 2016.
  6. Web site: Un punto de sutura... y nada más. A stitch... and nothing more. Marca. es. 9 January 2017. 21 March 2017.
  7. Web site: UEFA Europa League - Valencia - Villarreal. UEFA. 18 April 2019. 23 July 2019.
  8. News: Chowdhury . Saj . Barcelona 1 - 2 Valencia . 13 March 2023 . . 25 May 2019.
  9. News: Villena . Juan Carlos . Lato renueva hasta 2023. Lato renews until 2023 . 13 March 2023 . . 5 July 2019 . Spanish.
  10. News: McTear . Euan . Toni Lato leaves PSV and will join Osasuna on loan . 13 March 2023 . Marca . 26 December 2019.
  11. News: Munday . Billy . Osasuna edge out Alaves thanks to Toni Lato . 13 March 2023 . Marca . 24 June 2020.
  12. News: Elche deals Valencia third straight loss in Spanish league . 13 March 2023 . . 23 October 2020.
  13. News: Puig . Darío . El Valencia no se cansa de fabricar laterales zurdos: Jesús Vázquez, en puertas. Valencia don't tire of making left-backs: Jesús Vázquez, knocking at the door. 13 March 2023 . Marca . 25 November 2020 . Spanish.
  14. News: Blanc . Marc . Gayà y Lato se empeñan en complicarle la vida a Gattuso. Gayà and Lato insist on making life difficult for Gattuso. 13 March 2023 . El Desmarque . 11 September 2022 . Spanish.
  15. Web site: Toni Lato joins RCD Mallorca on a free transfer. RCD Mallorca. 26 June 2023. 27 June 2023.
  16. News: López . Víctor . Vicente Latorre: "El techo de Lato está donde él se lo ponga". Vicente Latorre: "Lato's limit is wherever he sets it" . 13 March 2023 . . 12 September 2017 . Spanish.