Gabi (footballer)
 Gabi playing for Atlético Madrid in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gabriel Fernández Arenas | ||
| Date of birth | 10 July 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Atlético Madrid | ||
| Number | 14 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| San Eladio | |||
| Atlético Madrid | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2004 | Atlético Madrid B | 46 | (4) |
| 2004–2007 | Atlético Madrid | 58 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | → Getafe (loan) | 32 | (2) |
| 2007–2011 | Zaragoza | 135 | (16) |
| 2011– | Atlético Madrid | 161 | (6) |
| National team | |||
| 2003 | Spain U20 | 7 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Spain U21 | 12 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 April 2016. | |||
Gabriel Fernández Arenas (born 10 July 1983), known as Gabi (Spanish pronunciation: ['gaβi]), is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a central midfielder.
He made over 250 La Liga appearances, mostly in two spells at Atlético Madrid interspersed with a period at Zaragoza, winning domestic and European silverware with the former.
Club career
Atlético Madrid
Gabi was born in Madrid. A product of Atlético Madrid's youth system, he was seldom used during his debut season with the Colchoneros' first team.
After a loan to another club in the capital, Getafe CF, he would amass 52 La Liga appearances for the club from 2005 to 2007, scoring his only goal in a 1–1 away draw against RCD Espanyol on 9 April 2006.[1]
Zaragoza
In early February 2007, Gabi joined Real Zaragoza on a €9 million transfer, agreeing to a four-year contract effective as of July.[2] He was an undisputed starter in his first year, but the Aragonese were relegated from the top flight.
Defensive-minded Gabi netted four times in 35 games in the 2008–09 campaign, as Zaragoza immediately regained its lost status. In the following season he again was an automatic first-choice, helping his team to a final 14th position.
Again a starter in the 2010–11, only missing matches due to suspension, Gabi scored a career-best eleven goals as Zaragoza again escaped relegation,[3] six from penalty kicks – he was also their captain. On 12 March 2011, he scored twice from the spot in a 4–0 home win against Valencia CF;[4] on 30 April, in the same predicament, he scored in a 3–2 away success against Real Madrid[5] and, in the last matchday, he grabbed a brace in a 2–1 win at Levante UD, which certified the team's permanence.[6]
Atlético return
On 1 July 2011, Gabi returned to Atlético Madrid on a transfer fee of around €3 million.[7] He scored his first goal for the team on 4 December, in a 3–1 home win against Rayo Vallecano – adding one in his own net –[8]and started most of his first season in his second spell, partnering fellow youth graduate Mario Suárez in defensive midfield.
Gabi played 45 official matches in the 2012–13 campaign, including seven in the club's victorious run in the Copa del Rey, the first in 17 years.[9] He was also selected by manager Diego Simeone as the new captain.[10]
On 17 May 2014, in the away match to FC Barcelona that was the last of the season, Gabi took a 49th-minute corner kick which was headed in by Diego Godín to equalise 1–1, and give Atlético its first league title since 1996.[11] On 4 July, he signed a new contract that kept him at the club until 2017.[12]
In the second leg of a domestic cup quarter-final against Barcelona on 28 January 2015, Gabi was sent off in the tunnel at the end of the first half. His midfield partner Suárez was also dismissed later on, in an eventual 2–3 home defeat.[13]
Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 2003–04 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | La Liga | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 | |||
| 2006–07 | La Liga | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | |||
| Total | 58 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 68 | 1 | |||
| Getafe | 2004–05 | La Liga | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 2 | ||
| Total | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 2 | ||||
| Zaragoza | 2007–08 | La Liga | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | — | 37 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | Segunda División | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 4 | |||
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | |||
| 2010–11 | La Liga | 36 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 38 | 11 | |||
| Total | 135 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 144 | 16 | |||
| Atlético Madrid | 2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 17[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | — | 49 | 3 | |
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 35 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | La Liga | 36 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 12[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 57 | 3 | |
| 2014–15 | La Liga | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | La Liga | 29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 0[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 42 | 1 | |
| Total | 158 | 6 | 25 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 242 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 389 | 24 | 38 | 1 | 46 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 489 | 26 | ||
- 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ↑ Appearances in UEFA Super Cup
- 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- 1 2 3 Appearances in Supercopa de España
Honours
Club
- Atlético Madrid
- UEFA Europa League: 2011–12
- La Liga: 2013–14
- UEFA Super Cup: 2012
- Copa del Rey: 2012–13
- Supercopa de España: 2014; Runner-up 2013
- UEFA Champions League: Runner-up 2013–14
Country
- Spain U20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: Runner-up 2003
References
- ↑ "El Espanyol desenmascara la escasa ambición del Atlético" [Espanyol unmasks little Atlético ambition] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 9 April 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ↑ "Zaragoza move early to get Gabi". UEFA.com. 5 February 2007.
- ↑ "El Zaragoza hace oficial el traspaso de Gabi al Atlético" [Zaragoza makes transfer of Gabi to Atlético official] (in Spanish). Heraldo de Aragón. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ↑ "Zaragoza crush Valencia". ESPN Soccernet. 12 March 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ↑ "Zaragoza end Real title dream". ESPN Soccernet. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ↑ "Zaragoza end drop fears". ESPN Soccernet. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ↑ "El Zaragoza hace oficial traspaso de Gabi al Atlético" [Zaragoza makes Gabi transfer official] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ↑ "Aperitivo de calidad que no llena" [Five-star appetizer leaves begging for more] (in Spanish). Marca. 3 December 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
- ↑ "Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo off in Real Madrid loss". BBC Sport. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ↑ "Gabi: "No me veo en otro equipo que no sea el Atlético"" [Gabi: "I can't see myself in any other team than Atlético"] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ↑ Martin, Richard (17 May 2014). "Barcelona 1 Atletico Madrid 1, La Liga: match report". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ↑ "Transfer news: Atletico Madrid captain Gabi signs contract extension". Sky Sports. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ↑ Reddy, Luke (28 January 2015). "Atl Madrid 2–3 Barcelona". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ↑ "Gabi: Gabriel Fernández Arenas". BDFutbol. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ↑ "Gabi". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gabriel Fernández Arenas. |
- Atlético Madrid official profile
- Gabi profile at BDFutbol
- Gabi profile at Futbolme (Spanish)
- Gabi – FIFA competition record
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