Chema (footballer, born 1992)

Chema
Personal information
Full name José Manuel Rodríguez Benito
Date of birth (1992-03-03) 3 March 1992
Place of birth Caudete, Spain
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Levante
Number 6
Youth career
EDM Caudete
2003–2007 Kelme
2007–2010 Elche
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Elche B 32 (5)
2011–2012 Atlético Madrid C 18 (2)
2012–2013 Atlético Madrid B 2 (0)
2013–2014 Alcorcón B 11 (2)
2013–2016 Alcorcón 65 (6)
2016– Levante 58 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 May 2018

José Manuel Rodríguez Benito (born 3 March 1992), commonly known as Chema, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Levante UD. Mainly a central defender, he can also play as a right back.

Football career

A product of Elche CF's youth system, Chema was born in Caudete, Province of Albacete, and he made his senior debut in 2010 with the reserves. In the following seasons he competed in Tercera División and Segunda División B, representing Atlético Madrid's C and B-teams.

Chema signed with AD Alcorcón in January 2013, being initially assigned to the B-side in the fourth level.[1] He was promoted to the first team in August,[2] making his competitive debut on 6 October by starting in a 0–0 away draw against SD Eibar for the Segunda División.[3]

Chema scored his first professional goal on 30 March 2014, netting his team's only in a 1–3 away loss to Girona FC.[4] On 9 July, he was definitely promoted to the main squad.[5]

On 5 August 2016, Chema signed a four-year deal with Levante UD, still in the second tier.[6] He contributed with three goals in 33 appearances in his first season, helping the club return to La Liga at the first attempt.[7]

Chema's first match in the Spanish top flight took place on 21 August 2017, when he started in a 1–0 home win over Villarreal CF.[8] He scored his first goal in the competition exactly one month later, helping the hosts defeat Real Sociedad 3–0 with a spectacular 44th-minute strike from just outside the box.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Fútbol base: Partidos 2–3 de febrero (Youth football: 2–3 February matches); AD Alcorcón, 1 February 2013 (in Spanish)
  2. ↑ OFICIAL: Alcorcón, dos canteranos con el primer equipo (OFFICIAL: Alcorcón, two youth players with the first team); Todo Mercado Web, 15 August 2013 (in Spanish)
  3. ↑ Al cuadro armero le frena su falta de acierto ante la meta alfarera (Side of armeros denied by lack of aim in front of alfarera goal); Marca, 6 October 2013 (in Spanish)
  4. ↑ Montilivi sueña de nuevo con la salvación tras vencer al Alcorcón (Montilivi dreams again with salvation after defeating Alcorcón); Marca, 30 March 2014 (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Los canteranos Chema Rodríguez y Dani Ponce tendrán ficha del primer equipo (Youth players Chema Rodríguez and Dani Ponce will have a first-team place); Mundo Deportivo, 9 July 2014 (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Acuerdo entre el Levante U.D. y la A.D. Alcorcón para el traspaso de Chema Rodríguez por las cuatro próximas temporadas (Agreement between Levante U.D. and A.D. Alcorcón for the transfer of Chema Rodríguez for the four following seasons); Levante UD, 5 August 2016 (in Spanish)
  7. ↑ Chema Rodríguez, baluarte del Levante UD en 2017 (Chema Rodríguez, Levante UD stalwart in 2017); Caudete Digital, 1 January 2018 (in Spanish)
  8. ↑ La Liga echaba de menos a Morales (La Liga was missing Morales); Marca, 21 August 2017 (in Spanish)
  9. ↑ Un gran Levante somete a la Real Sociedad: 3–0 (Great Levante submit Real Sociedad: 3–0); El País, 21 September 2017 (in Spanish)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.