Cala (footballer, born 1989)

Juan Torres Ruiz (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈxwan ˈtorez ˈrwiθ];[lower-alpha 1] born 26 November 1989), commonly known as Cala [ˈkala], is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Cádiz CF.

For the midfielder, see Cala (footballer, born 1990).
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Torres and the second or maternal family name is Ruiz.
Cala
Cala playing for Sevilla in 2013
Personal information
Full name Juan Torres Ruiz
Date of birth (1989-11-26) 26 November 1989
Place of birth Lebrija, Spain
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Cádiz
Youth career
Antoniano
2000–2008 Sevilla
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 Sevilla B 34 (1)
2010–2014 Sevilla 32 (5)
2010–2011 → Cartagena (loan) 25 (3)
2011–2012 → AEK Athens (loan) 13 (1)
2014 Cardiff City 8 (2)
2015 Granada 7 (0)
2015–2018 Getafe 73 (6)
2018 Henan Jianye 11 (0)
2018–2019 Las Palmas 30 (1)
2019– Cádiz 20 (1)
National team
2008 Spain U19 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 March 2020

Club career

Sevilla

Born in Lebrija, Seville, Andalusia, Cala finished his football formation at local giants Sevilla FC, making his professional debuts in the 2007–08 season for the reserve squad, Sevilla Atlético, which competed in Segunda División. On 9 December 2009, he made his first official appearance with the first team, playing 90 minutes against Rangers in the UEFA Champions League in a 1–0 group stage home win.[1]

Cala would first appear in La Liga on 7 February 2010, again playing the entire game but now suffering a 1–2 defeat at Real Zaragoza.[2] In a streak that started on 10 April at Málaga CF, he scored in three consecutive matches (two wins and one loss), which was a club record for a defender.[3][4][5][6]

For the 2010–11 campaign, Cala was loaned to FC Cartagena.[7] He was regularly used by the second level team during his spell, making his official debut on 11 September in a 5–1 home success over FC Barcelona B and finding the net in the game.[8]

On 5 July 2011, Cala signed a one-year loan deal with AEK Athens FC, where he reunited with former Sevilla boss – main squad and reserves – Manolo Jiménez, as well as teammate José Carlos.[9] He played 21 official games during his tenure, scoring on 30 October to conclude a 3–0 home win over Aris Thessaloniki F.C. for the Superleague Greece.[10]

In late January 2012, Cala was recalled by Sevilla as a replacement for Juventus FC-bound Martín Cáceres. AEK received €60,000 in compensation.[11] On 21 December 2013, he scored to open a 2–1 win at Villarreal CF, also being sent off when he fouled Jaume Costa for a penalty kick scored by Jérémy Perbet;[12] he added eight complete appearances in the UEFA Europa League, which ended in conquest.[13]

Cardiff City

On 7 February 2014, Cala signed for Premier League club Cardiff City on a ​2 1⁄2-year contract, after terminating his link with Sevilla.[14] He made his debut for his new team eight days later, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–2 home loss against Wigan Athletic for the round-of-16 of the FA Cup;[15] his maiden appearance in the league took place on the 22nd, but in another defeat at the Cardiff City Stadium, now at the hands of Hull City (0–4).[16]

Cala scored his first goal for the Bluebirds on 15 March 2014, but in a 1–2 loss at Everton.[17] His second came in an away triumph over Southampton on 12 April, as he hit from long range for the game's only goal;[18] fifteen days later he was sent off for the first time in his Cardiff career, during a 0–4 away defeat to Sunderland.[19]

Cala was released with immediate effect from his Cardiff contract on 3 December 2014, having only made one appearance in the Championship that season. He had previously complained via Twitter for being sent to train with the club's academy.[20]

Granada / Getafe

After being strongly linked to Getafe CF, Cala signed a six-month contract with fellow league team Granada CF on 28 January 2015.[21] On 28 May he was deemed surplus to requirements by new manager José Ramón Sandoval,[22] and subsequently left the club.

On 25 June 2015, Cala agreed to a three-year deal with Getafe also in the top level.[23] The following 4 January, he scored his first Spanish League goal in over two years, equalising in a 2–1 away win against Sporting de Gijón.[24]

On 6 August 2016, Cala signed a season-long loan deal with FC Anzhi Makhachkala with an option of making the move permanent at the end of it.[25] Seven days later he announced his return through Instagram, alleging personal problems;[26] according to the Russian club's press release, he returned to Spain to care for his younger brother who was having health issues.[27]

Henan Jianye

Even though it had always been his intention to agreeing on terms for a new contract,[28] on 1 March 2018 Cala signed with Henan Jianye F.C. for a reported transfer fee of €1.5 million.[29] He made his debut in the Chinese Super League the following day, playing the entire 0–4 home loss against Tianjin Quanjian FC.

Las Palmas / Cádiz

On 7 July 2018, Cala joined UD Las Palmas from the Spanish second division for two seasons.[30] He terminated his contract the following 18 June,[31] and moved to Cádiz CF on a five-year deal on 17 July.[32]

Club statistics
As of 19 May 2018[33]
Club Season League League Cup League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sevilla B2007–08Segunda División5000000050
2008–09110000000110
Sevilla2009–10La Liga5320001080
Cartagena (loan)2010–11Segunda División254100000264
AEK Athens (loan)2011–12Superleague Greece131200060211
Sevilla2011–12La Liga81000000141
2012–13100310000131
2013–1491200080191
Total 485710090643
Cardiff City2013–14Premier League7210000082
2014–15Championship1000200030
Total 82102000112
Granada2014–15La Liga7000000070
Total 7000000070
Getafe2015–16La Liga221100000231
2016–17Segunda División313100000343
2017–18La Liga202200000222
Total 736400000776
Henan Jianye2018Chinese Super League110000000110
Total 110000000110
Career total 185181512015021719

Honours

Sevilla

Notes
  1. In isolation, Torres is pronounced [ˈtores].

References
  1. "Gers' dismal campaign ends badly". ESPN Soccernet. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  2. "Zaragoza edge tempestuous clash". ESPN Soccernet. 7 February 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  3. "Sevilla claim derby honours". ESPN Soccernet. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  4. "Valladolid boost survival hopes". ESPN Soccernet. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  5. "Nine-man Gijon thrashed". ESPN Soccernet. 17 April 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  6. "Un once de Primera... en Segunda" [Primera XI... in Segunda]. La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). 15 March 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  7. "Cala se va cedido al Cartagena" [Cala goes on loan to Cartagena] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 31 August 2010. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  8. "Betis y Rayo Vallecano siguen marcando el ritmo" [Betis and Rayo Vallecano still setting the pace]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 11 September 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  9. "El AEK de Atenas ficha a José Carlos y Juan Cala" [AEK Athens sign José Carlos and Juan Cala]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 5 July 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  10. Georgakopoulos, George (30 October 2011). "Panathinaikos conquers PAOK". Kathimerini. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  11. "Cala vuelve al Sevilla para sustituir a Martín Cáceres" [Cala returns to Sevilla to replace Martín Cáceres]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 27 January 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  12. "No stopping Sevilla". Sky Sports. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  13. "Juan Cala: "El Sevilla es campeón de la Europa League, yo no"" [Juan Cala: "Sevilla are Europa League champions, I am not"]. Estadio Deportivo (in Spanish). 26 May 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  14. "Deal done: Cala is a Bluebird". Cardiff City F.C. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  15. "Cardiff 1–2 Wigan". BBC Sport. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  16. "Cardiff City 0–4 Hull City". BBC Sport. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  17. "Everton 2–1 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  18. "Southampton 0–1 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  19. "Sunderland 4–0 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  20. "Cardiff City: Juan Cala leaves Bluebirds". BBC Sport. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  21. "Juan Cala, quinto refuerzo del Granada CF en el mercado de invierno" [Juan Cala, fifth addition of Granada CF in the winter transfer window] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 28 January 2015. Archived from the original on 31 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  22. "El Granada ya no cuenta con Cala" [Granada cease to count on Cala]. Marca (in Spanish). 28 May 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  23. "Cala futbolista del Getafe" [Cala footballer of Getafe] (in Spanish). Getafe CF. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  24. "Sporting Gijon 1–2 Getafe: Getafe put end to poor away form". Sky Sports. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  25. "Cala cedido" [Cala loaned] (in Spanish). Getafe CF. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  26. "Juan Cala deja el Anzhi y regresa al Getafe" [Juan Cala leaves Anzhi and returns to Getafe]. Marca (in Spanish). 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  27. Хуан Торрес Кала вернулся в Испанию [Juan Cala Torres returned to Spain] (in Russian). Anzhi Makhachkala. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  28. Javier Hernandez (21 February 2018). "Acuerdo Getafe-Henan Jianye por Cala: decidirá el jugador en horas" [Agreement Getafe-Henan Jianye on Cala: the player with decide in a matter of hours]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  29. "Juan Cala se marcha al Henan Jianye" [Juan Cala goes to Henan Jianye] (in Spanish). Sport You. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  30. "Cala, nuevo fichaje de la UD Las Palmas" [Cala, new signing of UD Las Palmas] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 7 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  31. "Juan Cala leaves UD Las Palmas". UD Las Palmas. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  32. "Juan Cala se convierte en el séptimo fichaje" [Juan Cala becomes the seventh signing] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  33. "Juan Cala". Soccerway. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  • Cala at BDFutbol
  • Cala at Futbolme (in Spanish)
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