Ricardo Penella Arias

Ricardo Arias
Personal information
Full name Ricardo Penella Arias
Date of birth (1957-02-25) 25 February 1957
Place of birth Catarroja, Spain
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Sweeper
Youth career
Benimar
Valencia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976–1992 Valencia 445 (4)
1992–1993 Castellón 35 (0)
Total 480 (4)
National team
1979 Spain amateur 2 (0)
1981 Spain B 2 (0)
1979 Spain 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Ricardo Penella Arias (born 25 February 1957) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a sweeper.

He appeared in 501 competitive games for Valencia, winning three major titles including the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup. In La Liga, he played 377 matches and scored twice.[1]

Club career

Born in Catarroja, Valencian Community, Arias spent 16 of his 17 professional seasons – 15 in La Liga – with local Valencia CF. He made his debut in the competition on 7 November 1976 by coming on as a late substitute in a 3–1 home win against CD Málaga,[2] and scored his first goal on 5 March 1978 to help defeat Sevilla FC 3–0 also at the Mestalla Stadium;[3] he contributed with eight matches and one goal[4] in the team's victorious run in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, converting his attempt in the shootout in the final (0–0 after 120 minutes, in Brussels).[5][6]

Subsequently, Arias went on to become a defensive mainstay for the Che. They suffered relegation at the end of 1985–86, being immediately promoted the following campaign with one goal[7] in 34 games from the player.[8]

After only 16 appearances in 1991–92, 35-year-old Arias signed for neighbouring CD Castellón in Segunda División, closing out his career at the end of the season.

International career

Arias earned one cap for Spain: on 26 September 1979, he played the first half of a 1–1 friendly draw to Portugal, at Balaídos.[9]

Post-retirement

In November 2014, Arias declared in an interview he was bankrupt, making ends meet by having odd jobs.[10] Shortly after, the father of four returned to Valencia to work in the club's social department.[11]

Honours

Valencia

References

  1. ↑ "Ricardo Arias" (in Spanish). Valencia CF. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "3–1: El Valencia recuperó su pólvora" [3–1: Valencia rediscovered firepower]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 8 November 1976. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "3–0: El Valencia, en línea ascendiente" [3–0: Valencia, on the rise]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 6 March 1978. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "2–2: Por dos veces anuló el Valencia la ventaja del B. K. Copenhague" [2–2: Valencia annulled B. K. Copenhagen's advantage twice]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 20 September 1979. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "¡La Recopa fue blanca!" [The Cup Winners' Cup was white!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 15 May 1980. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 "European Competitions 1979–80". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "5–1: El Valencia se despidió con una traca... de goles" [5–1: Valencia said goodbye with fireworks... of goals]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 June 1987. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  8. 1 2 "2–0: El Valencia ya está en Primera" [2–0: Valencia are already in Primera]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 31 May 1987. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "1–1: España no dio una a derechas" [1–1: Spain did not get one right]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 27 September 1979. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  10. ↑ "Arias, un histórico del Valencia, arruinado: "No tengo ni 5 euros para gasolina del coche"" [Arias, Valencia legend, ruined: "I don't even have 5 euros to put gas in the car"] (in Spanish). Voz Populi. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "El Valencia contrata a Ricardo Arias para su área social" [Valencia hire Ricardo Arias to their social area]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 27 November 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "Spain – Cup 1979". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
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