Luis Fernández (footballer, born 1972)

Luis Fernández Gutiérrez (born 29 September 1972) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a left back.

Not to be confused with Luis Fernández or Luis Fernández Teijeiro.
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Gutiérrez.
Luis Fernández
Personal information
Full name Luis Fernández Gutiérrez
Date of birth (1972-09-29) 29 September 1972
Place of birth Argomilla, Spain
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position(s) Left back
Youth career
Cayón
Atlético Perines
Racing Santander
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 Gimnástica 11 (0)
1993–1996 Racing Santander 53 (3)
1996–2006 Betis 228 (1)
2006–2009 Racing Santander 36 (0)
Total 328 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

In a professional career which spanned almost 20 years, he was best known for his spell at Betis (also represented Racing de Santander), in which he played one full decade.

Club career

Fernández was born in Argomilla, Cantabria. After making his professional starts with lowly Gimnástica de Torrelavega, he made his La Liga debut for local giants Racing de Santander against Atlético Madrid, on 24 April 1994.[1] He went on to play in 56 competitive games, before being transferred to fellow league club Real Betis for the 1996–97 season.

At Betis, Fernández consistently appeared as his team's main left back for ten years. He featured in the UEFA Champions League for the Seville side in 2005–06,[2][3] after contributing with 22 league appearances in the previous campaign.

Aged 34, Fernández returned to Racing for 2006–07, playing 19 matches in his second season as the Cantabrians achieved a first-ever qualification to the UEFA Cup. On 19 April 2009, as he was nothing more than a fringe player, he appeared in his 300th top division game, a 0–1 loss at RCD Espanyol,[4] and retired in the summer at the age of nearly 37, continuing to work with the club as a scout in the following years.[5]

Honours

Betis

References
  1. El Atlético vuelve al infierno (Atlético return to hell); Mundo Deportivo, 25 April 1994 (in Spanish)
  2. Betis leave it late to claim victory; UEFA, 10 August 2005
  3. Betis blunt Monaco comeback; UEFA, 24 August 2005
  4. Triste celebración para Munitis y Luis Fernández (Sad celebration for Munitis and Luis Fernández); El Diario Montañés, 20 April 2009 (in Spanish)
  5. El 'Gran Hermano' verdiblanco (The green-and-white 'Big Brother') Archived 23 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine; El Diario Montañés, 24 May 2010 (in Spanish)
  6. Dani delivers for Betis; UEFA, 12 June 2005
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