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Oleguer
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Oleguer Presas Renom (born February 2 1980 in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain) is a Catalan football player. Currently playing for FC Barcelona. Oleguer started his career at the modest Lepanto, a club from his hometown of Sabadell. In 1997 he joined Gramenet UEA, making his senior debut in 2001. When he was 21 he signed for the FC Barcelona B team and made his debut for FC Barcelona in 2002 during a Champions League match between Barça and Galatasaray. During the following season he played for both teams, on occasion being a last minute addition to the senior squad. He was an important player for FC Barcelona as they won La Liga in 2005. He is a speedy and incisive defender and embodies the youth development philosophy of FC Barcelona. He usually plays as a right back, but due to repeated injuries to central defenders in the 2004-2005 season, he was often paired with Carles Puyol. During the 05-06 season, he has challenged Juliano Belletti for the right back position, as he presents a more defensive alternative to the more offensive Brazilian.

Barça have a long history of nurturing Catalan talent and Oleguer is a shining example of this. He scored once in the league winning season 04-05 against Málaga CF. During the 05-06 season he has kept his place in a very competitive squad and this is to his credit as a tireless team worker.

He caused a minor stir in Spain when it was rumoured that he had declined to play for the national side when approached by the national coach Luis Aragonés. He has sympathies with left wing and Catalan nationalist causes and was asked by Subcomandante Marcos of the Zapatistas to play a charity match in Chiapas, Mexico during the summer of 2005. In late 2005 he was invited to take part in a meeting of shortlisted players for the Spanish national squad, an invitation that he graciously accepted amidst much press speculation whether or not he would defend the colours of Spain in the next World Cup.

On the March 30th 2006 he published his first book with recollections on his youth, early career and the La Liga triumph of 2004-2005. The book, called Cami d'Itaca (The road to Ithaca) dealt with such varied subjects as childhood anorexia, the antifascist struggle and the previous Spanish governments involvement in both Gulf Wars. The book also touched on his love of tennis and the experience of the street parade through the Avinguda Diagonal in Barcelona on winning La Liga in 2005. Oleguer was injured with a muscle strain in the match against AC Milan at San Siro and missed the return leg of the draw which Barça won on aggregate (0-1) and two further league matches. He was absent in the league winning match against Celta de Vigo on the 3rd of May 2006 but he returned to play in the next match at the Camp Nou, where the trophy was presented to the team by the Spanish football federation president. True to form, Oleguer celebrated wrapped in the colours of the senyera, the Catalan flag.

On the 15th of May 2006 Spanish national team coach Luis Aragones announced the squad which would represent Spain in the World Cup held in Germany. Oleguers name did not feature. On the 17th of May 2006 Barça beat Arsenal F.C. to win the European Cup, or UEFA Champions League for the second time in their history. Oleguer was in the first eleven, but on the day he appeared tense and slow, struggling to neutralise Freddie Ljungbergs runs down the wing and more importantly not being able to stop Sol Campbell scoring the opening goal. In the 71st minute he was substituted by Juliano Belletti, a significant decision by manager Frank Rijkaard, as Belletti went on to score his first goal for Barça and the Champions League winning goal on the night.

He signed a contract extension in July 2006,keeping him with the club until 2010. Oleguer had the honour of captaining the team for the first time in their initial pre season game of the 2006-07 campaign, in recognition of his work over the last few seasons. With the arrival of Gianluca Zambrotta and Lilian Thuram, Oleguer has found himself coming on from the bench in the first few matches of the 2006-07 La Liga season.

Trophies

2003-04 Copa Catalunya,
2004-05 Copa Catalunya,
2004-05 Spanish League title
2005 Spanish supercup
2005-06 Spanish League title
2005-06 Champions League
2006 Spanish supercup

All trophies won with FC Barcelona.

Sporting Statistics

Defender,
Height: 187 cm
Weight: 82 kg
His squad number at Barça is 23.
His current contract runs until the 30th of July 2010
His buy-out clause is set at 60 million Euros

Sources

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 '''Oleguer Presas Renom''' (born [[February 2]] [[1980]] in [[Sabadell]], [[Catalonia]], [[Spain]]) is a [[Catalan people|Catalan]] [[football (soccer)|football]] player. Currently playing for [[FC Barcelona]].
 Oleguer started his career at the modest [[Lepanto]], a club from his hometown of [[Sabadell]]. In [[1997]] he joined [[Gramenet UEA]], making his senior debut in [[2001]]. When he was 21 he signed for the [[FC Barcelona B]] team and made his debut for [[FC Barcelona]] in [[2002]] during a [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] match between Barça and Galatasaray. During the following season he played for both teams, on occasion being a last minute addition to the senior squad.