Casto (footballer)

Casto

Personal information
Full name	Casto Espinosa Barriga
Date of birth	18 June 1982 (1982-06-18)
Place of birth	Pueblonuevo del Guadiana, Spain
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Betis
Number	13
Youth career
	Pueblo Nuevo
1999–2001	Mérida
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2003	Mérida	7	(0)
2003–2004	Logroñés	0	(0)
2004–2006	Albacete B
2006	Albacete	1	(0)
2006–2007	Betis B	13	(0)
2007–	Betis	54	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Espinosa and the second or maternal family name is Barriga.

Casto Espinosa Barriga, simply Casto (born 18 June 1982 in Pueblonuevo del Guadiana, Badajoz, Extremadura), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Betis in the Spanish first division, as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Casto spent four years at Mérida UD, making seven league appearances in the third division. In 2003 he moved to CD Logroñés where he spent one season before joining Albacete Balompié in Segunda División, playing once with the first team during the 2005–06 season.

Real Betis purchased Casto in the 2006 summer, where he initially began as third-choice behind Pedro Contreras and Toni Doblas. With the arrival of Portuguese international Ricardo in the following season, it seemed as though he would be provided with little opportunity to shine, even with Contreras' departure. However, after a serious injury to Doblas, he was called-up from the B team; after Ricardo also went down with a minor ailment, he made his debut in La Liga on 16 December 2007, against UD Almería in a 3–1 home win.

In March/April 2008, Casto, who eventually overtook Ricardo as first-choice after the latter's recovery, featured in Betis' first three back-to-back victories in over two years, with wins over CA Osasuna, FC Barcelona and Real Zaragoza. In his first five games, Betis won four, with Casto keeping clean sheets in three.

As coach Francisco Chaparro stayed on the bench for 2008–09, Casto won the battle for first-choice over Ricardo, being the side's undisputed starter during the early stages, a situation which would revert midway through the season.

External links

• Betis official profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Futbolme profile (Spanish)
• Transfermarkt profile