Miguel de las Cuevas

Miguel Ángel de las Cuevas Barberá (born 19 June 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Córdoba CF. A versatile midfield element, he can play both in the wings and behind the forwards, but usually occupies the attacking midfielder position.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is De las Cuevas and the second or maternal family name is Barberá.

Miguel de las Cuevas
De las Cuevas with Atlético Madrid in 2008
Personal information
Full name Miguel Ángel de las Cuevas Barberá
Date of birth (1986-06-19) 19 June 1986
Place of birth Alicante, Spain
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Córdoba
Number 10
Youth career
Agustinos
1993–2000 Kelme
2000–2002 Valencia
2002–2003 Hércules
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Hércules B
2003–2006 Hércules 68 (3)
2006–2009 Atlético Madrid 24 (0)
2009–2013 Sporting Gijón 121 (18)
2013 → Osasuna (loan) 16 (1)
2013–2015 Osasuna 44 (4)
2015–2016 Spezia 16 (2)
2016–2018 Osasuna 62 (2)
2018– Córdoba 58 (16)
National team
2005 Spain U19 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 March 2020

After starting out at Hércules, he went on to appear in 201 La Liga matches over eight seasons, scoring a combined 18 goals for Atlético Madrid, Sporting de Gijón and Osasuna. He added 127 games in Segunda División (16 goals), and also spent one year in the Italian Serie B with Spezia.

Club career

Born in Alicante, Valencian Community, de las Cuevas started his professional career with hometown club Hércules CF, in the third division. In the 2004–05 season, he was instrumental as the team achieved promotion to the second level after a six-year-absence.

For the 2006–07 campaign, de las Cuevas signed with Atlético Madrid. During preseason, on 13 August, in the Teresa Herrera Trophy match against Club Nacional de Football, he suffered a serious ankle injury that kept him out of action for more than one year.[1]

De las Cuevas finally made his debut for the Colchoneros on 12 December 2007, playing the second half in a Copa del Rey away game against Granada 74 CF, in the round-of-32.[2] He appeared in 13 La Liga matches in his first season after returning from injury, 12 as a substitute.

On 25 June 2009, after producing slightly the same numbers with Atlético, de las Cuevas moved to fellow top level side Sporting de Gijón on a four-year deal – however, Atlético retained an option to rebuy in the first three.[3] He had a breakthrough season in 2009–10, ranking second in goals in the team; highlights included braces against RCD Mallorca (4–1),[4] Athletic Bilbao (2–1, away)[5] and one against former club Atlético (1–1), the goal that certified Sporting's permanence in the top flight for a further year, on 8 May 2010.[6]

Still under manager Manuel Preciado, de las Cuevas was again an undisputed starter for Gijón in the 2010–11 season. On 2 April 2011, he scored the only goal in a win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, ending José Mourinho's record of nine years and 150 matches unbeaten at home;[7] he only missed one league match and added six goals, in another final escape from relegation.[8]

On 11 January 2013, de las Cuevas was loaned to CA Osasuna thus returning to the top flight.[9] The move was made permanent in late May after the Navarrese managed to retain their status, with a €1.2 million fee being paid in equal shares to Atlético and Sporting.[10]

On 29 January 2015, de las Cuevas terminated his contract that ran until June 2016, and moved abroad for the first time in his career at the age of 28, signing with Spezia Calcio in Italy.[11][12] His first game in the Serie B occurred on 14 February, as he featured 73 minutes in a 0–0 draw at Carpi F.C. 1909.[13]

In late September 2015, de las Cuevas successfully underwent surgery to his heart after an anomaly was detected. He was sidelined for six months.[14][15]

On 1 February 2016, de las Cuevas returned to Osasuna on a free transfer.[16] He left the club in July 2018 after his contract expired, and signed a one-year deal with Córdoba CF on 31 August.[17]

Club statistics
As of 16 May 2010[18]
Season Club Competition Apps Goals Assists
2006/07Atlético Madrid La Liga000
2007/08Atlético Madrid La Liga1300
2008/09Atlético Madrid La Liga1101
2009/10Sporting Gijón La Liga3783
Total6184
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References
  1. Atlético lose new recruits; UEFA, 14 August 2006
  2. 1–2. Atlético resolvió el partido en dos minutos (1–2. Atlético solved it in two minutes); Soitu, 12 December 2007 (in Spanish)
  3. El Sporting cierra el fichaje de Miguel de las Cuevas (Sporting close Miguel de las Cuevas deal); Marca, 25 June 2009 (in Spanish)
  4. Miguel at the double in Sporting win; ESPN Soccernet, 4 October 2009
  5. Sporting Gijon continue fine form; ESPN Soccernet, 18 October 2009
  6. Gijon secure top-flight status; ESPN Soccernet, 8 May 2010
  7. Mourinho home record ended; ESPN Soccernet, 2 April 2011
  8. De las Cuevas: "El Sporting me lo da todo para poder triunfar aquí" (De las Cuevas: "Sporting provides everything so i can make it here"); Marca, 3 June 2011 (in Spanish)
  9. De las Cuevas ya está cedido a Osasuna (De las Cuevas has already been loaned to Osasuna) Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; El Comercio, 11 January 2013 (in Spanish)
  10. El Atlético cobrará la mitad del traspaso de De las Cuevas (Atlético to receive half of De las Cuevas' transfer) Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; El Comercio, 28 May 2013 (in Spanish)
  11. De las Cuevas se marcha a Italia (De las Cuevas goes to Italy); Marca, 29 January 2015 (in Spanish)
  12. "Mercato: è De Las Cuevas il nuovo matador aquilotto" [Market: De Las Cuevas is the new aquilotto killer] (in Italian). Spezia Calcio. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  13. Chichizola para un rigore e lo Spezia impatta 0–0 a Carpi (Chichizola saves penalty and Spezia draw 0–0 at Carpi); La Nazione, 14 February 2015 (in Italian)
  14. Spezia, De las Cuevas stop di sei mesi (Spezia, six-month pause for De las Cuevas); Corriere dello Sport, 28 September 2015 (in Italian)
  15. De las Cuevas, operado con éxito de su anomalía cardíaca (De las Cuevas, successful surgery to cardiac anomaly); Marca, 30 September 2015 (in Spanish)
  16. "Mercato: risoluzione consensuale per Miguel De las Cuevas" [Market: mutual termination for Miguel De las Cuevas] (in Italian). Spezia Calcio. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  17. "Comunicado oficial" [Official announcement] (in Spanish). Córdoba CF. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  18. "De las Cuevas". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
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