Sergio Asenjo
Encyclopedia
Sergio Asenjo Andrés (ˈserxjo aˈseŋxo; born 28 June 1989) is a Spanish
footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a goalkeeper.
, Castile and León
, Asenjo began playing in Real Valladolid
junior teams, and soon emerged as one of the most talented players in the club. He started the 2007–08 season playing for the reserve team
in the third division
, which had just barely avoided relegation the previous campaign. However, poor performances by both first team goalkeepers, Frenchman
Ludovic Butelle
(on loan from Valencia CF
) and veteran Alberto
, gave him a chance to make a debut in La Liga
, and his first appearance proved a very successful one, as he kept a clean sheet
in a 2–0 home win over Villarreal CF
, on 12 December 2007.
Following great performances, where he conceded one goal in his first five matches, Asenjo retained his starting job, becoming the youngest league goalkeeper that season. In January 2008, he signed his first professional contract, agreeing to extend his former youth contract with Valladolid for another three years, while also increasing his wage.
Asenjo would eventually play in the remaining league matches, retaining his position throughout 2008–09. However, he also missed three months of action, due to a knee
injury.
On 8 July 2009, Asenjo transferred to Atlético Madrid for a fee of €
5 million, signing a four-year contract. He started the season
as first-choice but, after some costly mistakes - and a change of coach in November 2009 - lost his position to younger David de Gea
.
On 8 May 2010, in one of his few appearances after being relegated to the bench, Asenjo suffered a serious knee injury which sidelined him until November. Late in the following month, after having found himself as third-choice with the Colchoneros, he was loaned to Málaga CF
until the end of the season
, with teammate Ignacio Camacho
also making the move, in a permanent deal.
On 6 February 2011, in the early minutes of a 0–0 draw at Sevilla FC
, without being challenged, Asenjo suffered another injury in the same knee, being lost for the rest of the campaign.
, as it took home the bronze in the 2006 Under-17 European Championship
, with Asenjo as a key player, starting all of their matches.
He was again called up, for the 2007 Under-19 European Championship
. In the qualification rounds, his role in the team was quite insignificant, as backup. But this changed in the semifinal against France
, replacing the injured first-choice. After 0–0 in regulation time, the game was decided in a penalty shootout. Asenjo saved two, as Spain progressed to the final match, where he started against Greece
with another excellent display, as Spain won 1–0 to be crowned European champions.
Asenjo made his U-21
debut in August 2008, and was first-choice at the 2009 European Championships
; he also played at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
in Egypt
.
C.S. – Clean sheets.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a goalkeeper.
Club career
Born in PalenciaPalencia
Palencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon...
, Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
, Asenjo began playing in Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
junior teams, and soon emerged as one of the most talented players in the club. He started the 2007–08 season playing for the reserve team
Real Valladolid B
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol B, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Founded in 1942, it is the reserve team of Real Valladolid and currently plays in Tercera División, holding home games at Anexos de Zorrilla, which seats 1,500...
in the third division
Segunda División B
Segunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the Primera División, and the Segunda División. Immediately below Segunda División B is the Tercera Division...
, which had just barely avoided relegation the previous campaign. However, poor performances by both first team goalkeepers, Frenchman
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Ludovic Butelle
Ludovic Butelle
Jean Ludovic Butelle is a French footballer who plays for AC Arles-Avignon as a goalkeeper.-Club career:Butelle began his career at FC Metz, in 2001–02's top flight, appearing in six matches...
(on loan from Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
) and veteran Alberto
Alberto López Fernández
Alberto López Fernández, simply Alberto , is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper....
, gave him a chance to make a debut in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, and his first appearance proved a very successful one, as he kept a clean sheet
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
in a 2–0 home win over Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
, on 12 December 2007.
Following great performances, where he conceded one goal in his first five matches, Asenjo retained his starting job, becoming the youngest league goalkeeper that season. In January 2008, he signed his first professional contract, agreeing to extend his former youth contract with Valladolid for another three years, while also increasing his wage.
Asenjo would eventually play in the remaining league matches, retaining his position throughout 2008–09. However, he also missed three months of action, due to a knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury.
On 8 July 2009, Asenjo transferred to Atlético Madrid for a fee of €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
5 million, signing a four-year contract. He started the season
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
as first-choice but, after some costly mistakes - and a change of coach in November 2009 - lost his position to younger David de Gea
David de Gea
David de Gea Quintana is a Spanish footballer who plays for Manchester United as a goalkeeper. Born in Madrid, he started his career aged 10 with Atlético Madrid and rose through the academy system at the club before making his senior debut in 2009...
.
On 8 May 2010, in one of his few appearances after being relegated to the bench, Asenjo suffered a serious knee injury which sidelined him until November. Late in the following month, after having found himself as third-choice with the Colchoneros, he was loaned to Málaga CF
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
until the end of the season
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
, with teammate Ignacio Camacho
Ignacio Camacho
Ignacio Camacho Barnola is a Spanish footballer who plays for Málaga CF in La Liga, usually as a defensive midfielder.-Club career:...
also making the move, in a permanent deal.
On 6 February 2011, in the early minutes of a 0–0 draw at Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, without being challenged, Asenjo suffered another injury in the same knee, being lost for the rest of the campaign.
International career
In 2006, Asenjo was selected to the Spanish under-17 national teamSpain national under-17 football team
The Spain national under-17 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain....
, as it took home the bronze in the 2006 Under-17 European Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-Goalscorers:-References:**-External links:*...
, with Asenjo as a key player, starting all of their matches.
He was again called up, for the 2007 Under-19 European Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:-------------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-----Teams:-Top goalscorers:-External links:* at uefa.com...
. In the qualification rounds, his role in the team was quite insignificant, as backup. But this changed in the semifinal against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, replacing the injured first-choice. After 0–0 in regulation time, the game was decided in a penalty shootout. Asenjo saved two, as Spain progressed to the final match, where he started against Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
with another excellent display, as Spain won 1–0 to be crowned European champions.
Asenjo made his U-21
Spain national under-21 football team
The Spain national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of Spain and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The team, nicknamed La Rojita , competes in the biannual European Under-21 Football Championship.Following the realignment of UEFA's youth...
debut in August 2008, and was first-choice at the 2009 European Championships
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
; he also played at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, was the 17th U-20 tournament, which was hosted by Egypt from 24 September to 16 October, in the cities of Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, Suez and Ismaïlia...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League1 | Cup2 | League Cup | UEFA UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... 3 |
Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | C.S. | Apps | Goals | C.S. | Apps | Goals | C.S. | Apps | Goals | C.S. | Apps | Goals | C.S. | ||
| Valladolid Real Valladolid Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived.... |
2007–08 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 9 |
| 2008–09 | 23 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 7 | |
| Valladolid Total | 47 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 16 | |
| Atlético Madrid | 2009–10 2009–10 La Liga - Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|... |
15 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 0 | 7 |
| Málaga (loan) Málaga CF Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares... |
2010–11 2010–11 La Liga The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División... |
5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Atlético Madrid | 2011–12 2011–12 La Liga The 2011–12 La Liga season is the 81st since its establishment. Barcelona are the defending champions, having won their 21st La Liga title in the previous season for the third time in a row. The campaign began on 27 August 2011, and will end on 13 May 2012... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Atlético Madrid Total | 16 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 7 | |
| Total | 68 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 80 | 0 | 24 | |
- 1Inncluding theLa LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
. - 2Including Copa del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
. - 3Including UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and UEFA Europa League.
C.S. – Clean sheets.
Club
Atlético Madrid- UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
- UEFA Super Cup: 20102010 UEFA Super CupThe 2010 UEFA Super Cup was the 35th UEFA Super Cup organised by the European football governing body UEFA. It took place at the Stade Louis II in Monaco on 27 August 2010. It was contested by Internazionale, who won the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League, and Atlético Madrid, who won the 2009–10 UEFA...
- Copa del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: Runner-up 2009–102009–10 Copa del ReyThe 2009–10 Copa del Rey was the 106th staging of the Copa del Rey. The competition began on August 22, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010 with the final held at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, in which Sevilla FC lifted the trophy for the fifth time in their history with a 2–0 victory over...
International
Spain U19- UEFA U-19 ChampionshipUEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipThe European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
: 20072007 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship-Group B:-------------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-----Teams:-Top goalscorers:-External links:* at uefa.com...