Jump to content

Nicolás Otamendi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by ArmbrustBot (talk | contribs) at 22:44, 31 January 2015 (→‎External links: re-categorisation per CFDS, replaced: Category:F.C. Porto players → Category:FC Porto players using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Nicolás Otamendi
Otamendi playing for Argentina in 2009
Personal information
Full name Nicolás Hernán Gonzalo Otamendi
Date of birth (1988-02-12) 12 February 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Valencia
Number 23
Youth career
1995–2007 Vélez Sarsfield
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Vélez Sarsfield 40 (1)
2010–2014 Porto 77 (6)
2014– Valencia 19 (2)
2014 → Atlético Mineiro (loan) 19 (1)
International career‡
2009– Argentina 18 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 January 2015
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 October 2014

Nicolás Hernán Gonzalo Otamendi (born 12 February 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Valencia CF as a central defender.

In his professional career he played mainly for Vélez Sársfield and Porto, winning eight major titles with the second including three national championships and the 2011 Europa League.

An Argentine international since 2009, Otamendi represented the country at the 2010 World Cup.

Club career

Vélez

Born in Buenos Aires, Otamendi made his Primera División debut for Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield on 10 May 2008, in a 2–1 home win against Rosario Central for the Clausura tournament.[1] During manager Hugo Tocalli's spell he was only fifth-choice stopper, behind Waldo Ponce, Fernando Tobio, Marco Torsiglieri and Mariano Uglessich. However, his role in the first team changed during Ricardo Gareca's first season as head coach, the 2009 Clausura: he replaced Ponce for the third game after the Chilean was injured while playing for his national team,[1] and eventually won a starting position alongside Sebastián Domínguez,[1] playing 17 of the 19 games in Vélez' winning campaign.[2]

Otamendi scored his first professional goal during the 2009 Apertura, in Vélez' 3–1 victory over Arsenal de Sarandí. During that season he also made his debuts in an international club competition, appearing in the Copa Sudamericana; in recognition of his performances throughout the year he was chosen for the South American Team of the Year, in a traditional continent-wide journalists' poll conducted by the newspaper El País.[3]

Porto

On 23 August 2010, Otamendi was transferred to Portuguese side F.C. Porto on a €4 million fee, signing a five-year contract –[4]Vélez also retained 50% of his registration rights, with the player having a pre-set price of another €4 million to be met by Porto prior to September 2011.[5] He netted in his first match, a 2–0 home victory over S.C. Olhanense,[6] finishing his first season with 15 appearances and five goals (notably both in a 2–0 away win against S.C. Braga[7]) as the northerners won the national championship.

On 6 September 2011, Porto exercised the rights to sign the remainder of Otamendi's playing rights.[8][9] He played 30 official games during the season to help the club to another two major titles, notably the back-to-back domestic league.

Valencia

On 5 February 2014, Otamendi was sold to Valencia CF in La Liga for €12 million, on a five-year contract starting on 1 July.[10] He was immediately loaned to Clube Atlético Mineiro in Brazil.[11]

Otamendi made his debut in the Spanish top level on 23 August 2014, starting in a 1–1 away draw against Sevilla FC.[12] He scored his first goal for his new club on 4 October, helping to a 3–1 home success over Atlético Madrid.[13]

On 4 January 2015 Otamendi headed Valencia's winner in a 2–1 home win over Real Madrid, ending their opponents' club record 22-match unbeaten run as a result.[14]

International career

In April 2009, Otamendi was called up by Argentine national team coach Diego Maradona for a friendly with Panama.[15] At the time of his selection he had only played 11 professional games,[1] and eventually started the match on 20 May, in a 3–1 win.

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, Otamendi played as a centre-back alongside Martín Demichelis against Ecuador (0–2 away loss), partnered former Vélez teammate Domínguez against Brazil in a 1–3 home defeat and appeared as a right-back in a 1–0 win in Uruguay which sealed the country's qualification to South Africa.

On 19 May 2010 Otamendi was confirmed as part of the 23-men squad for the final stages.[16] On 22 June he was in the starting eleven for the final group stage game against Greece; on the press conference after the match, Maradona said that, in his opinion, Otamendi was the best player on the field.[17]

Otamendi also played the 90 minutes of the round-of-16 game against Mexico, which Argentina won by 3–1. His final appearance in the tournament was the 0–4 quarter-final loss against Germany: this time his performance received criticism by the football press, as did Maradona's decision to improvise him on the right-back position;[18][19] however, the player subsequently stated his desire to always play for his national team, even if not in his natural position.[20]

Otamendi scored his first goal for Argentina on 2 September 2011, in a 1–0 friendly win over Venezuela in Kolkata, after heading a corner taken by Lionel Messi.[21]

International goals

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1
 2 September 2011 Kolkata, India  Venezuela
1–0
1–0
 Friendly[21]

Statistics

Club

As of 25 January 2015[22]
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other[i] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vélez Sársfield 2007–08 Primera División 1 0 – 0 0 – 1 0
2008–09 18 0 – 0 0 – 18 0
2009–10 19 1 – 14 0 – 33 1
2010–11 2 0 – 0 0 – 2 0
Total 40 1 – 14 0 – 54 1
Porto 2010–11 Primeira Liga 15 5 2 0 13 1 2 0 32 6
2011–12 20 2 1 0 6 0 2 0 29 2
2012–13 29 0 2 0 8 0 3 1 42 1
2013–14 13 0 2 1 4 0 0 0 19 1
Total 77 7 7 1 31 1 7 1 122 10
Valencia 2013–14 La Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2014–15 19 2 3 0 — 0 0 22 2
Total 19 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 22 2
Atlético Mineiro 2014 Série A 5 0 0 0 7 0 7 1 19 1
Career total 141 10 10 1 52 1 14 2 217 14
  1. ^ Including Taça da Liga and Campeonato Mineiro.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Nicolás Otamendi: "El de Vélez es un grupo con hambre"" (in Spanish). La Nación. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Closing '09 statistics". Argentine Soccer. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  3. ^ "Verón fue elegido como el mejor jugador de América" (in Spanish). 24CON. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Porto sign Argentina defender Otamendi". UEFA.com. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  5. ^ "Acordo de princípio para a compra do jogador Otamendi" (PDF) (in Portuguese). FC Porto. 23 August 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Can anybody stop this Dragon?". PortuGOAL. 26 September 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  7. ^ "No let-up from FC Porto and Benfica". PortuGOAL. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Porto finalise Otamendi purchase". FIFA.com. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Comunicado" (PDF) (in Portuguese). FC Porto. 6 September 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "Valencia confirm signing of Nicolás Otamendi". Inside Spanish Football. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  11. ^ "Nicolas Otamendi jugará en Atlético Mineiro cedido por el Valencia" (in Spanish). Goal.com. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Punto de fe del Valencia" (in Spanish). Marca. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "El Valencia derroca al campeón" (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Oliver, Pete (4 January 2015). "Valencia 2–1 Real Madrid". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Bocación local" (in Spanish). Olé. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "¡Acá están, estos son!" (in Spanish). Olé. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Liniers queda en Sudáfrica" (in Spanish). Olé. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Daniel Edwards (4 July 2010). "World Cup 2010 Comment: Javier Zanetti or Nicolas Otamendi? The decision to snub Inter's captain cost Maradona & Argentina". Goal.com. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  19. ^ Ian Ladyman (5 July 2010). "Diego Maradona finally exposed as Argentina's weakest link... along with their right full back". Daily Mail. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  20. ^ "Quiero jugar siempre aunque no sea en mi puesto" (in Spanish). Olé. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ a b "La Argentina de Sabella comienza con victoria ante Venezuela en Calcuta" (in Spanish). El Comercio. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "N. Otamendi". Soccerway. Retrieved 1 February 2014.

External links

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicolás_Otamendi&oldid=645057654"