Asier Riesgo

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

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Riesgo and the second or maternal family name is Unamuno.

Asier Riesgo
Riesgo with Eibar in 2016
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(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Girona
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)
2015–2019 Eibar 65 (0)
2019– Girona 0 (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 11 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:50, 14 March 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Deba, Gipuzkoa, and a product of Real Sociedad's youth academy, Riesgo made his professional debut with neighbouring SD Eibar in the second division, where he would play for one and a half seasons. In March 2004, he was recalled from his loan due to an injury to first-choice Sander Westerveld.[1]

After Westerveld was waived in the summer, Riesgo became a starter for the Basques, making his La Liga debut on 29 August 2004 in a 1–1 home draw against Levante UD.[2] From the 2006–07 campaign onwards he battled with newly signed Claudio Bravo for starting duties; with the Chilean as the first-choice, Real were relegated.

In 2007–08, however, Riesgo played all 42 league matches,[3] 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.[4]

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.[5] 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;[6] the Andalusians eventually dropped down a level, with him appearing in all 38 fixtures.

In December 2009, Riesgo served a trial at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur as potential cover for injured Carlo Cudicini, lost for the campaign after a motorcycle accident.[7] Upon his return, he found himself third-choice at Real Sociedad behind Bravo and Eñaut Zubikarai, totalling only 630 minutes of play as they returned to the top level after three years.[8][9]

On 18 June 2010, Riesgo – whose contract with Real Sociedad had expired – signed for Navarrese neighbours CA Osasuna, for three years.[10] He acted solely as backup during his tenure with the club, first to Ricardo then Andrés Fernández.[11]

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.[12] On 2 September 2019, he joined second level's Girona FC for one year as a replacement for Sevilla FC-bound Bono.[13]

Honours

Club

Real Sociedad

International

Spain U19

Spain U20

References
  1. "La Real Sociedad repesca a Riesgo tras la lesión de Westerveld" [Real Sociedad retrieve Riesgo after Westerveld's injury] (in Spanish). Diario de León. 16 March 2004. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  2. Isasa, Xabier (30 August 2004). "Una Real incompleta" [Incomplete Real] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  3. Badallo, Óscar (28 September 2007). "Riesgo se pone 'Bravo'" [Riesgo gets all 'Brave' ("Bravo" in English)] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  4. 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)
  5. Recreativo Huelva 3–1 Numancia; ESPN Soccernet, 4 January 2009
  6. Barça edging closer to Liga glory; UEFA, 11 April 2009
  7. Tottenham give trial to Spanish goalkeeper Asier Riesgo; BBC Sport, 6 December 2009
  8. Ramajo, Roberto (1 April 2010). "Riesgo o Zubikarai: debate abierto para la portería" [Riesgo or Zubikarai: open debate in goal] (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  9. Badallo, Óscar (14 April 2010). "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. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  10. 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)
  11. Iborra, J. (7 June 2015). "Riesgo sube a los altares rojillos con un paradón en el minuto 89" [Riesgo reaches red altars with wonder save in 89th minute] (in Spanish). Diario de Navarra. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  12. 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)
  13. "Asier Riesgo, experiència per a la porteria del Girona FC" [Asier Riesgo, experience for Girona FC's goal] (in Catalan). Girona FC. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  14. "España vence a Alemania y se proclama campeona de Europa Sub-19" [Spain beat Germany and are crowned Under-19 European champions] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 28 July 2002. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
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