Apoño

Antonio Galdeano Benítez (born 13 February 1984), known as Apoño, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central midfielder. A player with both hard-working and playmaking skills, he was also a penalty kick specialist.[1]

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Galdeano and the second or maternal family name is Benítez.

Apoño
Apoño with Zaragoza in 2012
Personal information
Full name Antonio Galdeano Benítez
Date of birth (1984-02-13) 13 February 1984
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
26 de Febrero
2000–2003 Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 San Pedro
2004–2007 Marbella 84 (13)
2007–2012 Málaga 120 (15)
2012 → Zaragoza (loan) 17 (5)
2012–2013 Zaragoza 32 (9)
2013–2014 Las Palmas 29 (1)
2014 OFI 3 (0)
2015 El Palo 9 (0)
2016 Marbella 7 (0)
2017–2018 El Palo 24 (8)
Total 325 (51)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He amassed La Liga totals of 138 matches and 28 goals over five seasons, representing in the competition Málaga and Zaragoza. He also competed professionally in Greece.

Club career

Early career

Born in Málaga, Apoño began his career with local UD San Pedro and, for the 2004–05 season, moved to Andalusia neighbours UD Marbella in Segunda División B, where he would remain three years.

Málaga

In July 2007, Apoño joined Segunda División side Málaga CF – after having emerged through their youth system[2]– also in his native region, being an instrumental figure in their return to La Liga after a two-year absence. He was brought in as the club was coached by Juan Ramón López Muñiz, who had briefly managed the player at Marbella.

In the following campaign, Apoño remained a starter: he made his top division debut on 31 August 2008, in a 0–4 away loss against Atlético Madrid,[3] and finished the campaign with nine league goals – best in the squad with striker Nabil Baha – seven from penalty kicks,[4] notably in a 3–4 loss at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium against Real Madrid.[5]

On 30 July 2010, after a season with many injury problems,[6] with Málaga only ranking in 17th position, Apoño signed a contract extension running until June 2014.[7] He made his 100th official appearance for the club alongside teammate Weligton, in a 1–4 home defeat against Real Madrid on 16 October 2010,[8] and finished 2010–11 with 27 league appearances (26 starts) and one goal.[9]

After the first match in the following campaign, a 1–2 away loss to Sevilla FC[10] in which he was replaced at half-time – with the score at 2–0 for the hosts – reacting angrily, Apoño was suspended by coach Manuel Pellegrini.[11][12] He returned to action nearly two months after, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–4 home defeat against Real Madrid; on 9 January 2012 the Chilean told the player to start looking for a new club, as their altercation had continued for too long.[13]

Zaragoza

On 19 January 2012, Apoño was loaned out to fellow league side Real Zaragoza for the rest of the season.[14] He made his debut for his new team three days later, starting in a 0–0 draw at Levante UD.[15]

Apoño scored his first goal(s) for the Aragonese on 21 March, netting a brace (one penalty) for bottom-placed Zaragoza in a 2–1 away win against Valencia CF.[16] The following round, again from the 11-meter spot, he scored in the 95th minute for the game's only goal in a home success over Atlético Madrid,[17] and featured heavily as the club again retained its division status in the last round.

Later years

On 5 September 2013, free agent Apoño joined second level's UD Las Palmas on a one-year deal.[18] He netted twice during his spell in the Canary Islands,[19] including once in the promotion play-offs at home to Córdoba CF (1–1 home draw, away goals rule elimination).[20]

Subsequently, after an unassuming spell in the Superleague Greece with OFI Crete FC, 31-year-old Apoño returned to Spain and went on to represent several teams in the lower leagues.[21][22][23] On 6 May 2015, he was handed a 12-match ban after being sent off during a third tier match against Marbella held five days earlier, having allegedly insulted the refereeing team as well as making death threats.[24]

Personal life

Apoño's younger brother, Juan, was also a footballer and a midfielder. He also appeared for Málaga, but only for the B-team. The siblings shared teams at CD El Palo.[25][26][27]

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References
  1. "Apoño asume galones" [Apoño leads by example] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  2. "De La Palmilla a la élite" [From La Palmilla to the elite] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  3. Atlético Madrid 4–0 Málaga; ESPN Soccernet, 31 August 2008
  4. "Sandro y el exclusivo club de los 10" [Sandro and the exclusive 10 club] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  5. Real Madrid 4–3 Málaga; ESPN Soccernet, 8 November 2008
  6. "Alarma por la recaída de Apoño" [Alarm for Apoño injury] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  7. El Málaga renueva a Apoño hasta 2014 (Málaga renew Apoño until 2014); Marca, 30 July 2010 (in Spanish)
  8. "Apoño y Weligton cumplirán ante el Real Madrid su partido número 100 con el Málaga" [Apoño and Weligton to play 100th game with Málaga against Real Madrid] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  9. "Un discutido penalti devuelve al Málaga al triunfo" [Controversial penalty returns Málaga to winning ways] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  10. Sevilla see off Malaga; ESPN Soccernet, 28 August 2011
  11. "Pellegrini castiga otra vez a Apoño" [Pellegrini punishes Apoño again] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  12. Málaga boss Pellegrini wants Apoño apology; A Different League, 29 September 2011
  13. Pellegrini le pide a Apoño que se busque equipo (Pellegrini tells Apoño to look for a club); Marca, 9 January 2012 (in Spanish)
  14. Apoño jugará cedido en Zaragoza hasta junio (Apoño to play on loan with Zaragoza until June) Archived 23 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine; El Desmarque, 19 January 2012 (in Spanish)
  15. Levante held by lowly Zaragoza; ESPN Soccernet, 22 January 2012
  16. Che stunned by Zaragoza; ESPN Soccernet, 21 March 2012
  17. Apono late show downs Atletico; ESPN Soccernet, 25 March 2012
  18. "Las Palmas ficha a Apoño" [Las Palmas sign Apoño] (in Spanish). Marca. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  19. "Las Palmas da un paso al frente en sus aspiraciones en Montilivi" [Las Palmas take step forward in aspirations at Montilivi] (in Spanish). Marca. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  20. "Escándalo en Las Palmas: batalla campal en el ascenso in extremis del Córdoba a Primera" [Scandal in Las Palmas: battlefield in Córdoba's edgy promotion to Primera] (in Spanish). 20 minutos. 22 June 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  21. "Apoño ficha por El Palo" [Apoño signs for El Palo] (in Spanish). Marca. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  22. "Apoño ficha por el Marbella" [Apoño signs for Marbella] (in Spanish). Marca. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  23. "Apoño, refuerzo de lujo para el CD El Palo" [Apoño, deluxe addition for CD El Palo] (in Spanish). La Opinión de Málaga. 2 July 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  24. "Apoño pierde la cabeza y es sancionado con 12 partidos" [Apoño loses his head and receives 12-match ban] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  25. 'Juanillo', el hermano de Apoño, llegaría al filial ('Juanillo', Apoño's brother, would arrive for the reserves); El Periódico de Aragón, 25 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  26. Juanillo: «Quiero que se me conozca por Juanillo, no por ser el hermano de Apoño» (Juanillo: «I want to be known as Juanillo, not as Apoño's brother»); Diario Sur, 18 October 2013 (in Spanish)
  27. Apoño y Juanillo miran a México (Apoño and Juanillo look to Mexico); Málaga Hoy, 13 August 2015 (in Spanish)
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