Xavi Torres

Xavi Torres

Torres playing with Levante in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Xavier Torres Buigues
Date of birth	21 November 1986
Place of birth	Xàbia, Spain
Height	1.84 m (6 ft ^1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team	Betis
Number	14
Youth career
1994–2006	Villarreal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2005–2006	Villarreal B
2006–2007	Alicante	36	(4)
2007–2009	Barcelona B	59	(5)
2009	Barcelona	2	(0)
2009–2012	Málaga	11	(1)
2010–2012	→ Levante (loan)	69	(5)
2012–2013	Getafe	35	(0)
2013–	Betis	47	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 April 2016. † Appearances (goals)

Xavier 'Xavi' Torres Buigues (born 21 November 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Real Betis as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Early years

Born in Xàbia, Alicante, Valencian Community, Torres played his youth career at two clubs, including Villarreal CF where he finished his formation in 2006. He made his professional debut at another club in the region, Alicante CF, in the 2006–07 Segunda División B.

Barcelona

In the 2007 summer, Torres signed for FC Barcelona, spending the vast majority of his two-year spell with the reserve team, which he helped return to the third level in his debut campaign, as the Catalans were coached by young Pep Guardiola.

Torres made his La Liga debut on 17 May 2009, appearing for the already crowned champions in a 1–2 away loss against RCD Mallorca. After the match, the player said that he was very grateful to Guardiola – promoted to first-team manager in the previous summer – for giving him an opportunity to play in the main squad;^[1][2] it would be the first of two appearances.

Málaga

On 12 June 2009, Málaga CF signed Torres on a free transfer for four seasons.^[3] He scored his first goal with the Andalusians on 30 August, closing the score at 3–0 against Atlético Madrid in the 89th minute, in the season's opener.^[4]

On 13 September 2009, Torres made his Málaga debut as a starter, in a 0–1 defeat at Deportivo de La Coruña, being replaced by Victor Obinna in the 84th minute.^[5] However, he appeared rarely in his first year and, on 7 June 2010, was loaned to freshly-promoted side Levante UD.^[6] He made his debut on 28 August, playing the entire 1–4 home loss against Sevilla FC.

Levante

In early December 2010, Torres was linked with a potential move to Everton,^[7] but nothing came of it. He rarely missed a game for Levante – being the second most used player in the squad – as the Valencian team finally retained their top division status. In July 2011, the move was extended for a further season.

Torres scored his first goal for the Granotas on 20 November 2011, in a 2–3 defeat at Atlético Madrid.^[8] He ended the campaign with five as they finished sixth and qualified to the UEFA Europa League for the first time ever.

Getafe

On 31 May 2012, Levante activated the €300.000 buying option it had on Torres, offering the player a four-year contract^[9] which he refused.^[10] On 1 August, after lengthy negotiations, he signed a four-year deal with fellow league side Getafe CF for a fee of approximately €500.000.^[11]

Torres started in most of his league appearances for the Madrid outskirts club (37 official contests during the season), his first being on 26 August 2012 in a 2–1 home win against Real Madrid, where he featured the 90 minutes.^[12]

Betis

On 7 August 2013, Torres signed for four seasons with Real Betis. He scored his first competitive goal 22 days later, grabbing their last in a 6–0 home routing of FK Baumit Jablonec for the Europa League playoff round.^[13] In December, however, he suffered an Achilles tendon injury in a game against HNK Rijeka for the same competition, being sidelined for the rest of the campaign,^[14] which ended with relegation to the second tier.

Club statistics

As of 28 April 2012^[15]

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Alicante	2006–07	36	4	1	0	-	-	37	4
	Total	36	4	1	0	-	-	37	4
Barcelona B	2007–08	33	4	-	-	-	-	33	4
	2008–09	26	1	-	-	-	-	26	1
	Total	59	5	-	-	-	-	59	5
Barcelona	2008–09	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	Total	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Málaga	2009–10	11	1	4	0	-	-	15	1
	Total	11	1	4	0	-	-	15	1
Levante	2010–11	35	0	3	0	-	-	38	0
	2011–12	31	5	3	0	-	-	34	5
	Total	66	5	6	0	-	-	72	5
Career totals		174	15	11	0	0	0	185	15

Honours

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2008–09

Betis

• Segunda División: 2014–15

References

1. El Mallorca desluce la celebración del Barça (Mallorca darkens Barça celebration); El Mundo, 17 May 2009 (Spanish)
2. Xavi Torres thrilled with Barcelona debut; Tribal Football, 18 May 2009
3. Malaga sign Barcelona's Xavi Torres; The Guardian, 12 June 2009
4. Málaga 3–0 Atlético Madrid; ESPN Soccernet, 30 August 2009
5. Filipe strike enough for Depor; ESPN Soccernet 13 September 2009
6. Xavi Torres, al Levante (Xavi Torres, to Levante); Marca, 7 July 2010 (Spanish)
7. English eyes on Torres; Sky Sports, 6 December 2010
8. Atletico edge Levante in thriller; ESPN Soccernet, 20 November 2011
9. El Levante ejerce la opción de compra por Xavi Torres (Levante exercise buying option on Xavi Torres); Diario AS, 31 May 2012 (Spanish)
10. Xavi Torres vuelve al Málaga por ahora (Xavi Torres returns to Málaga for the time being); El Desmarque, 28 June 2012 (Spanish)
11. Xavi Torres ficha por cuatro temporadas (Xavi Torres signs for four seasons); Mundo Deportivo, 1 August 2012 (Spanish)
12. El Madrid no aprende (Madrid does not learn); Marca, 26 August 2012 (Spanish)
13. "Real Betis 6–0 FK Jablonec: A la Europa League por la puerta grande con Rubén Castro" [Real Betis 6–0 FK Jablonec: To the Europa League through the front door with Rubén Castro] (in Spanish). Goal.com. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
14. "Xavi Torres se rompe el tendón de Aquiles del pie izquierdo" [Xavi Torres fractures Achilles tendon in left foot] (in Spanish). Marca. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
15. "Xavi Torres". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 January 2014.

External links

• Xavi Torres profile at BDFutbol
• Xavi Torres profile at Futbolme (Spanish)