Rafa Mújica

Rafael Sebastián Mújica García (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈrafa ˈmuxika]; born 29 October 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Villarreal CF B, on loan from English club Leeds United. Mainly a forward, he can also play as a winger.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Mújica and the second or maternal family name is García.
Rafa Mújica
Personal information
Full name Rafael Sebastián Mújica García
Date of birth (1998-10-29) 29 October 1998
Place of birth Las Palmas, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Forward / Winger
Club information
Current team
 Villarreal B
(on loan from Leeds United)
Number 8
Youth career
Las Palmas
2015–2017 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Barcelona B 60 (10)
2018 → Cornellà (loan) 16 (6)
2019– Leeds United 0 (0)
2019–2020 → Extremadura (loan) 7 (0)
2020– → Villarreal B (loan) 4 (3)
National team
2015 Spain U17
2015–2016 Spain U18
2016 Spain U19 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:33 4 January 2020 (UTC)

He has represented Spain at international level for Spain U19's.

Club career

Barcelona

Born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Mújica joined Barcelona's youth setup on 19 May 2015, from Las Palmas.[1][2] On 26 March 2016, aged only 17, he made his senior debut with the reserves by coming on as a late substitute for Juan Cámara in a 2–0 Segunda División B away win against CD Llosetense.[3]

Mújica scored his first senior goal on 9 April 2016, netting his team's only strike in a 1–3 home loss against CE Sabadell FC.[4] He played for the first team during the 2016–17 pre-season under manager Luis Enrique, including scoring against English side Leicester City in a 4–2 victory during a pre-season friendly on 4 August.[5][6]

In February 2017, Mújica suffered a hamstring rupture which required surgery, which hampered his progress,[7] keeping him sidelined for nine months and a half months and missing out the club's promotion in the play-offs.[8] He made his professional debut on 6 January 2018, replacing Vitinho in a 1–1 away draw against Real Zaragoza for the Segunda División championship.[9]

On 31 January 2018, Mújica was loaned to UE Cornellà in the third division, until June.[10] He contributed with six goals in 16 matches for the side; highlights included scoring in the season's Copa Catalunya final in 3–2 victory against UA Horta on 2 June, to help the club lift the trophy for the first time ever.[11]

After his loan spell, Mújica returned to Barcelona, training with the first team during the summer of 2018. He returned to the B-team for the 2018–19 season, and played 33 games for the side scoring seven goals and providing one assist in Segunda División B during the season.[12]

In January 2019, Mújica was also named by manager Ernesto Valverde in Barcelona's first team squad for the Copa del Rey fixture against Levante UD.[13][14] On 27 June, Mújica announced on his official Twitter page he would be leaving Barcelona,[15] and the club officially released him when his contract expired three days later.[16]

Leeds United

On 4 July 2019, Leeds United announced the signing of Mújica on a three-year contract, running until the summer of 2022.[17] With the intention to initially link up with Carlos Corberán's under-23 side, with a view to training with the first team.

On 10 July 2019, Mújica played in Leeds' first team under manager Marcelo Bielsa in the club's first pre-season friendly, playing as a 2nd half substitute against York City in a 5–0 win.[18]

Extremadura (loan)

On 23 August 2019, Mújica joined Extremadura UD in the Spanish Segunda División on a one-year loan deal,[19] with the option to buy.[20] On 1 September 2019, Mújica made his debut in a 2-1 loss against Cádiz CF.[21] However, he returned to his parent club early in January 2020, having made just 7 league appearances for Extremadura.[22][23]

Villarreal (loan)

On 24 January 2020, Mújica joined Villarreal CF on loan until the end of the season,[22] being assigned to the B-team.[24]

International career

Mújica represented Spain U18s in the International Youth Soccer Cup Atlantic Cup in February 2016.[25] He has represented Spain at international level up until under-19s.

Career statistics
As of 5 May 2019[23]
Club League Season League Copa del Rey Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Barcelona B
Segunda División B 2015–16 61—61
Segunda División B 2016–17 182—182
Segunda División 2017–18 30—30
Segunda División B 2018–19 337—337
Total 6010—6010
Cornellà (loan)
Segunda División B 2017–18 166—166
Career total 7616—7616

    Honours

    Club
    Barcelona
    Barcelona B
    UE Cornellà

    References
    1. "Rafael Mújica, nuevo fichaje del FC Barcelona para el Juvenil" [Rafael Mújica, new signing of FC Barcelona for the youth squad] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
    2. "Barcelona sign Spanish starlet Rafa Mujica – despite transfer embargo until January 2016". Mirror. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
    3. "CD Llosetense v FC Barcelona B: Back to winning ways (0–2)". FC Barcelona. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
    4. "FC Barcelona B v CE Sabadell: Second half dismay (1–3)". FC Barcelona. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
    5. "The happiest goal of Rafa Mujica". FC Barcelona. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
    6. "Barcelona 4 Leicester City 2". Sky Sports. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
    7. "Rafa Mújica, seis semanas KO" [Rafa Mújica, six weeks out] (in Spanish). Vavel. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
    8. "Rafa Mujica (Barça B) recibe el alta tras 9 meses y medio de baja" [Rafa Mujica (Barça B) is declared fit to play after 9 and a half months sidelined] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
    9. "El Zaragoza y Barça B no salen a flote en La Romareda" [Zaragoza and Barça B do not come afloat at the La Romareda] (in Spanish). Marca. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
    10. "Anthony Lozano, Wilfrid Kaptoum and Rafa Mujica leave Barcelona B". Barca Blaugrane. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
    11. "EL CORNELLÀ FA HISTÒRIA I CONQUEREIX LA COPA CATALUNYA ABSOLUTA". Cornellà. 2 June 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
    12. "Barcelona B forward close to joining Bielsa's Leeds". Marca. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
    13. "Focus back on Copa del Rey". FC Barcelona. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
    14. "Ernesto Valverde insists Barcelona didn't field ineligible player in Copa del Rey". The Independent. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
    15. "Rafa Mújica". Rafa Mújica Official Twitter. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
    16. "Jokin Ezkieta, Mate, Mujica and Merveil will not continue next season at Barça B". Barcelona FC. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
    17. "Rafa Mujica joins Leeds United". www.leedsunited.com. 2019-07-04. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
    18. "REPORT: YORK CITY 0-5 LEEDS UNITED". www.leedsunited.com. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
    19. "Rafa Mujica makes loan move". Leeds United. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
    20. "RAFA MUJICA, NEW BLUE INCORPORATION". Extremadura UD. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
    21. "Thus we have narrated Cádiz-Extremadura". Hoy. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
    22. "Rafa Mújica joins Villarreal on loan until end of the season". www.leedsunited.com. 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
    23. Rafa Mújica at Soccerway
    24. "Villarreal B winter transfer movements". Villarreal CF. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
    25. "The grancanario Rafa Mujica, summoned with the Spanish national teamB". LLa Provincia. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
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