Dani Fernández (footballer, born 1983)

Daniel Fernández Artola (born 20 January 1983) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CE L'Hospitalet as a right back.

For Spanish singer member of boy band Auryn, see Auryn.
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Artola.

Dani Fernández
Fernández playing for N.E.C.
Personal information
Full name Daniel Fernández Artola
Date of birth (1983-01-20) 20 January 1983
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Right back
Club information
Current team
 Hospitalet
Youth career
1992–2002 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2004 Barcelona C 14 (0)
2002–2006 Barcelona B 110 (0)
2006–2008 Metalurh Donetsk 32 (0)
2008–2009 Arsenal Kyiv 0 (0)
2008–2009 → NEC (loan) 34 (0)
2009–2012 Feyenoord 10 (0)
2012–2013 Genk 26 (0)
2014–2015 OFI 11 (0)
2015– Hospitalet 64 (4)
National team
2006 Catalonia 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 May 2017

Club career

Early career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Fernández was the youngest of three brothers, seven and nine years older.[1] He started his football career at the cantera of local FC Barcelona, starting as a striker, then midfielder and finally defender.[2]

In the summer of 2002, Fernández joined FC Barcelona B, where he played during the next four years, always in the third division. In the 2004–05 pre-season he was invited to the first team by manager Frank Rijkaard, and appeared in friendlies with CD Banyoles, UE Figueres and Palamós CF, adding one official match on 15 November 2005, the Copa Catalunya semi-final against Gimnàstic de Tarragona.[3][4]

Ukrainian adventure

After playing for Barcelona for 14 years, Fernández was ready for a new challenge. In June 2006, he signed a three-year deal with Ukrainian club FC Metalurh Donetsk.[5] The defender followed former Barcelona player Jordi Cruyff and manager Pichi Alonso to Donetsk, and made his official debut on 19 August in the Premier League game against FC Shakhtar Donetsk (0–0).[6]

Due to disappointing results, Alonso was replaced by Dutch Co Adriaanse in December 2006, and Fernández was not a big fan of the new manager: "It was not easy to get along with him. It really took some time to get used to him."[7] In December 2007 Metalurh Donetsk found itself in a crisis, and decided to seize all operations with the club's vice president, Dmitry Selyuk; this led to the departure of almost all foreign players.

Selyuk turned out to be the owner of various player's transfer rights, including Fernández's, and the former placed the latter at another Ukrainian team, FC Arsenal Kyiv. However, the player did not appear in a single match for them as both he and his wife were having a hard time adjusting to the country's lifestyle; after one and a half year, he requested a transfer.[2]

Holland

On 17 January 2008, Fernández joined Eredivisie side N.E.C. Nijmegen on loan.[8] Manager Mario Been had been tipped by former Feyenoord youth coach Henk van Stee, the manager of Shakhtar's youth academy;[2] however, due to N.E.C.'s good performances after the winter break, the player had a hard time fighting himself into the first team,[7] and only played four league games.

Despite Fernández's position on the bench, Been was very satisfied with the progress the Spanish made. After the departure of starting right-back Muslu Nalbantoğlu to Kayserispor at the end of 2007–08, N.E.C. decided to offer him an extended loan deal for another season.[7] He quickly became a first-team regular, appearing in 30 matches during the campaign.

In early June 2009, Fernández followed former manager Been to Feyenoord,[9] where he only played five games before suffering two serious knee injuries, which kept him off the pitch for nearly two years.[10]

International career

Fernández never played for the Spain national team. However, on 8 October 2006, he participated in a friendly match with Catalonia against the Basque Country (2–2).[11]

Club statistics
As of 13 September 2009[12]
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
2002–03Barcelona BSegunda División B13000-130
2003–0432000-320
2004–0530000-300
2005–0635000-350
Ukraine League Ukrainian Cup Europe Total
2006–07Metalurh DonetskUkrainian Premier League20000-200
2007–0812000-120
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Total
2007–08N.E.C.Eredivisie4000-40
2008–093004070410
2009–10FeyenoordEredivisie5000-50
Total Spain 110000001100
Ukraine 3200000320
Netherlands 3904070500
Career total 181040701920
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References
  1. "Wie is Dani Fernandez?" [Who is Dani Fernandez?] (in Dutch). N.E.C. Nijmegen. 17 January 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  2. "Fernández, opvolger van Emerton" [Fernández, Emerton's successor]. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 29 July 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  3. "Ronaldinho et Eto'o, écartés de la Copa Catalunya" [Ronaldinho and Eto'o, left out of the Catalonia Cup] (in French). FC Barcelona Clan. 14 November 2005. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  4. "Fernández: Leuker dan bij Barcelona" [Fernández: Nicer than Barcelona]. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 22 June 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  5. Донецкий "Металлург" подписал полузащитника "Барселоны" [Metalurg Donetsk sign Barcelona midfielder] (in Russian). Podrobnosti. 20 June 2006. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  6. Металлург Д (Донецк) – Шахтёр (Донецк) [Metallurg D (Donetsk) – Shakhtar (Donetsk)] (in Russian). Чемпионат. 19 August 2006. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  7. "Dani Fernández: "¡Me muero por jugar contra el Ajax!"" [Dani Fernandez: "I'm dying to play against Ajax!"]. Sport (in Spanish). 28 June 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  8. "Dani Fernández maakt overstap naar N.E.C." [Dani Fernández moves to N.E.C.] (in Dutch). N.E.C. Nijmegen. 17 January 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  9. "Dani Fernández naar Feyenoord" [Dani Fernández to Feyenoord] (in Dutch). FR 12. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  10. Marcel van der Kraan (21 February 2017). "Mario Been: 'Het moet nu gebeuren voor Feyenoord'" [Mario Been: 'It's do or die for Feyenoord']. De Telegraaf (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  11. "Cataluña y Euskadi empatan en un partido reivindicativo" [Catalonia and Basque Country draw in match of claims]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 8 October 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  12. "Dani Fernández". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
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