Asier Riesgo

Asier Riesgo
Personal information
Full name Asier Riesgo Unamuno
Date of birth (1983-10-06) 6 October 1983
Place of birth Deba, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Eibar
Number 13
Youth career
Amaikak Bat
Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Real Sociedad B 18 (0)
2002–2010 Real Sociedad 127 (0)
2002–2004 → Eibar (loan) 57 (0)
2008–2009 → Recreativo (loan) 38 (0)
2010–2015 Osasuna 26 (0)
2015– Eibar 51 (0)
National team
2001 Spain U17 2 (0)
2001–2002 Spain U19 2 (0)
2003 Spain U20 10 (0)
2004–2005 Spain U21 9 (0)
2003– Basque Country 10 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 May 2018

Asier Riesgo Unamuno (born 6 October 1983) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for SD Eibar as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Born in Deba, Gipuzkoa, and a product of Real Sociedad's youth ranks, Riesgo made his professional debuts with neighbouring SD Eibar in the second division, where he would play for one-and-a-half seasons, being recalled in March 2004 due to an injury to first-choice Sander Westerveld. In the dying stages of 2003–04 he made his La Liga debut, playing against Deportivo Alavés on 19 May.

After Westerveld was waived in the summer, Riesgo became a starter for the Basques, but would have to battle with newly signed Claudio Bravo in the 2006–07 campaign. With the Chilean as the first-choice, Real were eventually relegated.

In 2007–08, however, Riesgo played in all 42 league games,[1] although the team did not achieve a top flight return. In August 2008 he was loaned to Recreativo de Huelva for €350.000, with the club having the option to make the move permanent afterwards for €4.3 million and not having to pay the player's wages.[2]

An undisputed starter throughout the season, Riesgo stopped two penalty kicks on 4 January 2009, helping league strugglers Recre beat CD Numancia 3–1 at home.[3] On 11 April he became the first to ever deny Lionel Messi a penalty, clawing the Argentine's effort out of the air as he saw his side bow down to a 0–2 defeat at FC Barcelona;[4] eventually the Andalusians dropped down a level, with him appearing in all 38 matches.

In December 2009, Riesgo served a trial at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur as potential cover for injured Carlo Cudicini, lost for the season after a motorcycle accident.[5] Upon his return he found himself third-choice at Real Sociedad, behind Bravo and Eñaut Zubikarai, only totalling 630 minutes of play as the club returned to the top level after three years.[6][7]

On 18 June 2010, Riesgo – whose contract with Real Sociedad had expired – signed for Navarrese neighbours CA Osasuna, for three years.[8] He acted solely as backup during his tenure with the club, first to Ricardo then Andrés Fernández.

Riesgo returned to Eibar in the 2015 off-season after agreeing to a one-year deal, as the team was now in the top flight.[9]

Honours

Club

Real Sociedad

International

Spain U19
Spain U20

References

  1. ↑ "Riesgo se pone 'Bravo'" [Riesgo gets all 'Brave' ("Bravo" in English)] (in Spanish). Marca. 28 September 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  2. ↑ Badiola cierra la cesión de Riesgo a espaldas de los administradores (Badiola closes Riesgo loan deal without the board of directors' knowledge); El Diario Vasco, 4 August 2008 (in Spanish)
  3. ↑ Recreativo Huelva 3–1 Numancia; ESPN Soccernet, 4 January 2009
  4. ↑ Barça edging closer to Liga glory; UEFA, 11 April 2009
  5. ↑ Tottenham give trial to Spanish goalkeeper Asier Riesgo; BBC Sport, 6 December 2009
  6. ↑ "Riesgo o Zubikarai: debate abierto para la portería" [Riesgo or Zubikarai: open debate in goal] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Riesgo volverá a defender la portería txuri urdin tras la lesión de Bravo y la sanción a Zubikarai" [Riesgo will return to txuri urdin goal after Bravo injury and Zubikarai suspension] (in Spanish). Marca. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  8. ↑ Osasuna presentará el lunes a Asier Riesgo (Osasuna to present Asier Riesgo on Monday) Archived 19 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine.; CA Osasuna, 18 June 2010 (in Spanish)
  9. ↑ SD Eibar ficha a Asier Riesgo por una temporada (SD Eibar sign Asier Riesgo for one season) Archived 31 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine.; SD Eibar, 28 July 2015 (in Spanish)
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