Éver Banega

Éver Banega

Banega playing for Argentina in 2011
Personal information
Full name Éver Maximiliano David Banega
Date of birth (1988-06-29) 29 June 1988
Place of birth Rosario, Argentina
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Sevilla
Number 19
Youth career
Nuevo Horizonte
Alianza Sport
2000–2007 Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2007 Boca Juniors 28 (0)
2008–2014 Valencia 136 (9)
2008–2009 → Atlético Madrid (loan) 24 (1)
2014 → Newell's Old Boys (loan) 14 (1)
2014– Sevilla 59 (8)
National team‡
2007 Argentina U20 14 (0)
2008 Argentina U23 6 (0)
2008– Argentina 40 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 May 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 March 2016

Éver Maximiliano David Banega (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeβer βaˈneɣa]; born 29 June 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Sevilla FC as a central midfielder.

He started his career with Boca Juniors, and signed with Valencia in 2008 where he remained for several years, appearing in 162 official games and winning the 2008 Copa del Rey.

Banega won an Olympic medal in 2008 with Argentina, and appeared in two Copa América tournaments, helping the team to the final of the 2015 edition.

Club career

Boca Juniors

Born in Rosario, Santa Fe, Banega came through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors, reaching the first team at 18, and winning immediate recognition thanks to his passing average and his performances in the first division. After teammate midfielder Fernando Gago moved to Real Madrid in January 2007, he was named as his successor, despite his young age.[1]

Banega made his professional debut in the 4–0 win against Club Atlético Banfield on 10 February 2007. On 1 April, just a few matches afterwards, he was given an ovation when he left the field.[2]

Valencia

Banega in action for Valencia in 2011

On 5 January 2008, Banega signed with Spanish side Valencia CF on a 5 1⁄2-year deal, for a fee of around €20 million.[3] He made his debut on the 13th in a 0–1 loss at Atlético Madrid, coming on as a half-time substitute.[4]

Banega was loaned to Atlético Madrid for the 2008–09 season.[5] He made his official debut as a substitute during the Colchoneros's 3–0 away win over PSV Eindhoven, in the first group stage match of the campaign's UEFA Champions League.[6] However, he failed to settle in the team's starting XI, also being sent off in away draws against Villarreal CF[7] and UD Almería.[8]

Following his return from Atlético, it appeared that Banega was to join English club Everton,[9] but a move did not materialise due to problems acquiring a visa. He subsequently returned for 2009–10 and assisted both goals in Valencia's opening game against Sevilla FC.[10] He scored his first goal for the Che on 17 January 2010 in a 4–1 success over neighbouring Villarreal.[11]

Banega played in 28 matches in the 2010–11 season (19 starts, two goals) as Valencia finished third and qualified to the Champions League. On 19 February 2012, however, he prolonged an existing spell on the sidelines – he had recently returned from a knee injury – after he was run over by his own car. As a result, he fractured his left ankle and broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg, according to Valencia team doctor Enrique Gastaldi.[12] He required ankle surgery, going on to miss the remainder of the campaign;[13] the club only confirmed that the player had been hurt in an accident involving his own car after leaving training, however Spanish media had reported that the injury occurred when he failed to put the handbrake on at a petrol station and, after the car moved, his leg was caught between the wheel and the curb.[14][15][16]

On 31 January 2014 Banega was loaned to Newell's Old Boys in his country, until the end of the season.[17]

Sevilla

On 19 August 2014, Banega joined Sevilla for an undisclosed fee, crediting his decision to move clubs to manager Unai Emery, who had managed him at Valencia.[18] He made his official debut four days later, replacing Aleix Vidal for the final 20 minutes of a 1–1 draw against his former team.[19]

On 27 May 2015, Banega started for Sevilla in the 2015 UEFA Europa League Final defeat of FC Dnipro at Poland's National Stadium,[20] being named man of the match in the process.[21] On 11 August, in the ensuing edition of the UEFA Super Cup, he scored the fastest ever goal in the competition through a third-minute free kick, but in a 4–5 loss to FC Barcelona.[22]

International career

Banega and Raul Meireles of Portugal in a 2011 friendly

Banega was selected for the Argentine under-20 team, alongside Sergio Agüero, for the 2007 FIFA World Cup in Canada, appearing in all seven games in an eventual tournament conquest.

Soon after joining Valencia in January 2008 he made his debut for the full side, in a 5–0 friendly win over Guatemala on 6 February, which he started.[23] During that summer, he appeared for the nation at the Summer Olympics, helping conquer the gold medal.[24]

In spite of a solid season with Valencia, Banega was not selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa by manager Diego Maradona. He was however a member of the 2011 Copa América squad, playing the first two group matches as the hosts reached the quarter-finals under Sergio Batista. On 26 March 2013 he scored his first goal, finishing a Clemente Rodríguez cross to equalise in a 1–1 draw away to Bolivia in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers,[25] but was not chosen for the squad that appeared in the finals.

Banega was selected by coach Gerardo Martino for the 2015 Copa América,[26] starting in the team's opening fixture against Paraguay in La Serena.[27] He was one of two players to miss his penalty shootout attempt in the final, a 1–4 loss to Chile, with Claudio Bravo saving it.[28]

International goals

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1
26 March 2013 Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia  Bolivia
1–1
1–1
2014 World Cup qualification
2
14 August 2013 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy  Italy
2–0
2–1
Friendly
3
14 October 2014 Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong  Hong Kong
1–0
7–0
Friendly

Style of play

Banega is mostly known for his skills, dribbling and passing ability. He can also be deployed as an attacking midfielder, due to his knack for scoring; whilst at Boca Juniors, he operated as a defensive midfielder.[29][30]

Statistics

Club

As of 5 May 2016[31]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Boca Juniors 2006–07 Primera División 140----140
2007–08 140----140
Boca Juniors Total 280----280
Valencia 2007–08 La Liga 1202000140
Atlético Madrid 2008–09 2414030311
Valencia 2009–10 3622090472
2010–11 2822140343
2011–12 1308140251
2012–13 2946050404
2013–14 1510010161
Valencia Total 121918223016211
Newell's Old Boys 2013–14 Primera División 1310060191
Newell's Total 1310060191
Sevilla 2014–15 La Liga 34330120493
2015–16 25562122439
Sevilla Total 598922429212
Career Total 2571933456234625

Honours

Club

Boca Juniors
Valencia
Sevilla

Country

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Gago me dijo que nunca me olvide de jugar" ("Gago told me to never forget to play"); Olé (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Boca, successo e standing ovation per Banega (Boca, win and standing ovation for Banega); Tutto Mercato, 1 April 2007 (Italian)
  3. ↑ "Valencia agree to sign Argentine midfielder Banega". Reuters. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  4. ↑ Picard, Laurent (14 January 2008). "Banega happier than ever". Setanta Sports. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
  5. ↑ Banega swaps Valencia for Atlético; UEFA.com, 28 August 2008
  6. ↑ Aguero brace sinks Eindhoven; ESPN Soccernet, 16 September 2008
  7. ↑ Atlético fight back to earn thrilling point; UEFA.com, 26 October 2008
  8. ↑ Almeria 1–1 Atlético Madrid; ESPN Soccernet, 18 January 2009
  9. ↑ Everton secure Banega work permit; BBC Sport, 22 August 2009
  10. ↑ Valencia 2–0 Sevilla FC; ESPN Soccernet, 30 August 2009
  11. ↑ Valencia thrash rivals; ESPN Soccernet, 17 January 2010
  12. ↑ Soccer: Valencia star out for season after own car rolls over foot; New Zealand Herald, 20 February 2012
  13. ↑ Car accident ends Banega's season at Valencia; UEFA.com 20 February 2012
  14. ↑ Banega injured in car crash; Sky Sports, 19 February 2012
  15. ↑ Banega faces six months out; ESPN Soccernet, 19 February 2012
  16. ↑ Valencia and Argentina star Ever Banega run over by own car after failing to set handbrake; Fox Sports, 20 February 2012
  17. ↑ Banega jugará en Newell's (Banega to play in Newell's); Marca, 1 February 2014 (Spanish)
  18. ↑ Walker, Joseph (19 August 2014). "Deulofeu and Banega add to Sevilla influx". UEFA.com. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  19. ↑ Campos, Tomás (23 August 2014). "Punto de fe del Valencia" [Valencia's point of faith] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  20. ↑ "Sevilla defeat Dnipro to land record fourth title". UEFA.com. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  21. ↑ "Sevilla overwhelmed by historic success". UEFA.com. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  22. ↑ "Pedro is Barcelona's UEFA Super Cup hero again". UEFA.com. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "Goleada de la Selección Olímpica ante Guatemala en Los Angeles" (in Spanish). Asociación del Fútbol Argentino. 7 February 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2008. (Spanish)
  24. ↑ Éver Banega – FIFA competition record
  25. ↑ Pozzoni, Emiliano (27 March 2013). "Qualificazioni Mondiali, Bolivia-Argentina 1–1, Messi vomita e sbaglia, rimedia Banega" [World Cup qualification, Bolivia 1–1 Argentina, Messi vomits and errs, Banega is the cure] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  26. ↑ "Gerardo Martino confirmó la lista de 23 convocados y mantuvo a Casco para la Copa América" [Gerardo Martino confirmed list of 23 selected and kept Casco for the Copa América] (in Spanish). La Nación. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  27. ↑ "Argentina 2–2 Paraguay". BBC Sport. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  28. ↑ "Chile 0–0 Argentina (Chile win 4–1 on penalties)". BBC Sport. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  29. ↑ "El informe: Éver Banega" [The report: Éver Banega] (in Spanish). Vavel. 13 February 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  30. ↑ "Ever Banega, goleador" [Ever Banega, goal scorer] (in Spanish). Vavel. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  31. ↑ "É. Banega". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  32. ↑ Keegan, Mike (27 May 2015). "Dnipro 2–3 Sevilla: Carlos Bacca scores twice as La Liga side survive scare to retain Europa League crown and earn Champions League spot with dramatic win in Warsaw". Daily Mail. Retrieved 27 May 2015.

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