Raúl Baena

José Raúl Baena Urdiales (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse raˈul βaˈena uɾˈðjales];[lower-alpha 1] born 2 March 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.

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

Raúl Baena
Personal information
Full name José Raúl Baena Urdiales
Date of birth (1989-03-02) 2 March 1989
Place of birth Torrox, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1994–1999 Faro Torrox
1999–2003 Málaga
2003–2007 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Espanyol B 38 (3)
2009–2013 Espanyol 85 (2)
2013–2017 Rayo Vallecano 91 (4)
2017–2019 Granada 23 (0)
2018–2019 → Melbourne Victory (loan) 21 (1)
2019–2020 Atromitos 17 (0)
National team
2006 Spain U17 4 (0)
2011 Spain U21 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 August 2020

Club career

Espanyol

Born in Torrox, Málaga, Andalusia, and after starting his footballing career at local Málaga CF and later coming through the FC Barcelona's youth ranks,[2] Baena switched to Catalonia neighbours RCD Espanyol in 2007, at the age of 18. He made his debut with its first team on 4 October 2009 in a La Liga match against Villarreal CF, playing the second half as the ten-man side eventually held off the hosts to a 0–0 draw.[3]

Baena quickly became an integral part of the main squad, alternating starts with appearances from the bench in his debut season. On 12 December 2009, his penalty offense on FC Barcelona's Xavi supposed the game's only goal, in a derby defeat.[4]

Baena was regularly used by manager Mauricio Pochettino in the following campaigns, often partnering another club youth graduate, Javi Márquez, in central midfield.[5] On 21 January 2012 he scored his first goal in the top flight, opening the scoresheet in a 3–0 home victory over Granada CF.[6]

Rayo Vallecano

On 26 June 2013, Baena signed a two-year contract with Rayo Vallecano.[7] In the 2014–15 campaign he scored twice in 28 matches to help his team finish 11th in the top tier and, at its closure, agreed to a two-year extension.[8]

Granada

Baena joined Granada of the Segunda División in the summer of 2017, agreeing to a three-year deal.[9] During his only season at the Nuevo Estadio de Los Cármenes, he acted as team captain.[10][11]

In September 2018, Baena signed with Melbourne Victory FC on a one-year loan.[11][12][13] He scored his only goal in the A-League on 1 December in a 4–0 home defeat of Western Sydney Wanderers FC,[14] and left the following May.[15][16][17]

International career

Baena won his only cap for the Spanish under-21 side on 28 March 2011 as a member of Espanyol, coming on as a 70th-minute substitute for Athletic Bilbao's Ander Herrera in the 1–1 friendly draw to Belarus held in Alcalá de Henares.[18][19]

Career statistics

Club
As of 8 August 2020[20]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Espanyol 2009–10 La Liga 19010——200
2010–11 15030——180
2011–12 32130——351
2012–13 19110——201
Total 85280——932
Rayo Vallecano 2013–14 La Liga 20030——230
2014–15 28220——302
2015–16 24120——261
2016–17 19100——191
Total 91470——984
Granada 2017–18 La Liga 23000——230
Melbourne Victory (loan) 2018–19 A-League 2110030—241
Atromitos 2019–20 Super League Greece 17020——190
Career total 237717030002577

Notes
  1. In isolation, Baena is pronounced [baˈena].
gollark: We may require greater funding.
gollark: If I remember correctly the rotating cylinder is also meant to be infinitely long.
gollark: Remember: never invent time machines or all of earth will go insane.
gollark: You should just add time travel to all your stories, really.
gollark: Or time machines, which is useful, I guess.

References
  1. "Raúl Baena". Melbourne Victory FC. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  2. "Bronca de Laporta con el abogado de un ex canterano" [Laporta run-in with former youth player's lawyer]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 29 October 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  3. "Drab draw for Villarreal". ESPN Soccernet. 4 October 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  4. "Ibrahimovic spot-kick sinks Espanyol". ESPN Soccernet. 12 December 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  5. Juárez, Mari Carmen (8 December 2010). "Pochettino tiene que rehacer su doble pivote" [Pochettino has to recompose holding midfielder tandem]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  6. "El Espanyol golea al Granada y duerme en puestos europeos (3–0)" [Espanyol rout Granada and sleep in European places (3–0)] (in Spanish). RTVE. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  7. "El Rayo ficha a Raúl Baena por dos temporadas" [Rayo sign Raúl Baena for two seasons]. La Información (in Spanish). 26 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  8. "El Rayo sigue apostando por Baena" [Rayo still bet on Baena] (in Spanish). La Liga. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  9. "Raúl Baena cambia Vallecas por Granada" [Raúl Baena changes Vallecas for Granada]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 3 July 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  10. "Raúl Baena podrá jugar ante el Barça B al anularle Competición una amarilla" [Raúl Baena will be able to play against Barça B as Committee overrule yellow]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 30 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  11. Lynch, Michael (3 September 2018). "Melbourne Victory sign Spanish midfielder Raul Baena". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  12. "Melbourne Victory swoop for Spaniard Raul Baena". FourFourTwo. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  13. Green, Sam (3 September 2018). "Victory land Spanish midfielder Raul Baena". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  14. Harrington, Anna (1 December 2018). "Melbourne Victory turn in a 'statement' performance with 4–0 win over Wanderers". Fox Sports. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  15. "Victory sever ties with visa stars". FourFourTwo. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  16. Lynch, Michael (28 May 2019). "Baema, Niedermeier and Ingham depart Victory". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  17. "Rebuilding Victory shed Baena, Niedermeier, Ingham". The World Game. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  18. "Fútbol/Sub-21.– Crónica del España-Bielorrusia; 1–1" [Football/Under-21.– Spain-Belarus match report; 1–1] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  19. "El torroxeño Raúl Baena jugó con la sub-21 española ante Bielorrusia" [Torrox-born Raúl Baena played with the Spanish under-21s against Belarus]. Diario Axarquía (in Spanish). 29 March 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  20. Raúl Baena at Soccerway
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