Ángel Lafita
 Lafita training with Zaragoza |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ángel Lafita Castillo | ||
| Date of birth | 7 August 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Zaragoza, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Getafe | ||
| Number | TBA | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Zaragoza | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2005 | Zaragoza B | 63 | (7) |
| 2005–2008 | Zaragoza | 41 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) | 24 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | Deportivo La Coruña | 33 | (8) |
| 2009–2012 | Zaragoza | 91 | (10) |
| 2012– | Getafe | 0 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Ángel Lafita Castillo (born 7 August 1984 in Zaragoza, Aragon) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Getafe CF in the Spanish first division. Usually a winger, being comfortable on both sides of the pitch, he can also appear as an attacking midfielder.
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[edit] Club career
A product of hometown Real Zaragoza's youth system, Lafita was promoted from its B side after stellar performances during 2004–05, making his first team debut on 28 August 2005, in a 0–0 draw at Atlético Madrid, and becoming an important element during 2006–07, helping the Aragonese outfit to a UEFA Cup berth (with 28 games and one goal, in a 2–0 away win against Racing de Santander, on 10 December 2006).
In August 2007, Lafita was loaned to Deportivo de La Coruña, which had an option to buy at the end of the season. After helping the Galicians reach the UEFA Intertoto Cup (with the subsequent UEFA Cup qualification), with three consecutive goals in February–March 2008,[1][2][3] the clause was activated in July, for €2 million.[4]
After being troubled with physical problems at the start of 2008–09,[5] Lafita returned to Depor in late October 2008, netting four times in his first seven games, including a brace against Real Betis in a 3–0 away success, on 2 November.[6]
In July 2009, Zaragoza paid the sum requested to rebuy the player, but Deportivo did not compel, claiming both clubs had agreed on a higher fee (€3.5 million); Lafita still played the first match of the new campaign, a 2–3 loss at Real Madrid but, in September, the Professional Football League deemed Lafita a Zaragoza player.[7]
Lafita started throughout most of 2010–11, but also spent one month on the sidelines with a knee injury.[8] On 30 April 2011, he scored twice in a 3–2 win at Real Madrid (being also involved in the other goal, after being brought down in the box by Ricardo Carvalho, which resulted in a converted penalty),[9] as Zaragoza finally escaped relegation.
On 29 May 2012, after failing to negotiate a new contract, Lafita agreed to join Getafe CF on a four-year deal.[10]
[edit] Club statistics
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005/06 | Zaragoza |  Spanish League |
13 | 0 |
| 2006/07 | Zaragoza | Spanish League |
28 | 1 |
| 2007/08 | Deportivo | Spanish League |
24 | 3 |
| 2008/09 | Deportivo | Spanish League |
32 | 8 |
| Total | 97 | 12 | ||
[edit] Personal
Football runs in Lafita's family: his uncle, Francisco Villarroya, played professionally for Real Madrid, Deportivo and Zaragoza, appearing with Spain at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy; his father Juan played 18 times with Zaragoza's first team in the late 70's/early 80's,[11] also representing Andorra CF, and younger brother Ignacio played for Zaragoza B, as well as neighbours SD Huesca.
[edit] References
- ^ Deportivo La Coruña 2-0 Espanyol; ESPN Soccernet, 24 February 2008
- ^ Deportivo La Coruña 2-1 Sevilla FC; ESPN Soccernet, 1 March 2008
- ^ Valencia 2-2 Deportivo La Coruña; ESPN Soccernet, 9 March 2008
- ^ El Deportivo paga la opción de compra por Lafita (Deportivo pays buying option for Lafita); El Periódico de Aragón, 4 July 2008 (Spanish)
- ^ Lafita ruled out of Depor's Croatia trip; UEFA.com, 15 August 2008
- ^ Real Betis 0-3 Deportivo La Coruña; ESPN Soccernet, 2 November 2008
- ^ Lafita vuelve al Real Zaragoza rodeado de polémica (Lafita returns to Real Zaragoza surrounded by controversy); Cadena COPE, 1 September 2009 (Spanish)
- ^ Un mes sin Lafita (One month without Lafita); El Periódico de Aragón, 17 February 2011 (Spanish)
- ^ Zaragoza end Real title dream; ESPN Soccernet, 30 April 2011
- ^ El Getafe hace oficiales los fichajes de Abraham y Lafita (Getafe makes Abraham and Lafita's signings official); Marca, 29 May 2012 (Spanish)
- ^ Juan Lafita at BDFutbol
[edit] External links
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