Roberto Fernández (footballer, born 1979)

Roberto
	Roberto in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Roberto Fernández Alvarellos
Date of birth	25 January 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Chantada, Spain
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
	Celta
Senior career*
Years	Team
1997–2002	Celta B
2002–2008	Sporting Gijón
2008–2010	Osasuna
2010–2015	Granada
2015–2018	Lugo
Total
Managerial career
2022–2023	Lugo (youth)
2023	Polvorín
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Roberto Fernández Alvarellos (born 25 January 1979), known simply as Roberto, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, currently a manager.

Club career

Roberto was born in Chantada, Province of Lugo. After several years struggling at RC Celta de Vigo, never making it past its B team, he moved to Sporting de Gijón in 2002.^[1] Save for his first season, when he was backup to Juanjo Valencia, he was a starter during his spell,^[2] winning the Ricardo Zamora Trophy in the 2005–06 campaign by conceding only 31 goals in 38 games whilst going unbeaten for 825 minutes with the Segunda División club.^[3]

In June 2008, after playing all the league matches but one to help Sporting return to the top division after a ten-year absence,^[4] Roberto also moved to La Liga, signing a three-year contract with CA Osasuna.^[5] After spending his first year on the bench, he eventually beat competition from veteran Ricardo (formerly of Manchester United)^[6] and became first choice, but lost it again in the 2009–10 season, appearing almost exclusively in the Copa del Rey – he took the field in the league's last two rounds, with the Navarrese already safe from relegation.

On 14 July 2010, Roberto was released by Osasuna and signed a three-year deal with Granada CF,^[7] returned to the second tier after 22 years. He only missed two games in the regular season in his first year, then starred in the play-offs in an eventual second consecutive promotion for the Andalusians.^[8]

Roberto started in three of the four following seasons, all spent in the top flight. He joined CD Lugo on 17 July 2015, after his contract expired.^[9]

On 1 June 2018, after spent the majority of his spell with the Galicians as second choice, Roberto announced his retirement at the age of 39.^[10]

References

^ Calleja, José Luis; Rodríguez, S. (20 July 2002). "Caras nuevas en ambos equipos" [New faces in both teams]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ Rosety, Manuel (10 February 2004). "Roberto: 637 minutos sin encajar ningún gol" [Roberto: 637 minutes without conceding a goal]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ García, S. (16 July 2006). "La joya de la corona" [The jewel of the crown]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ "El Sporting le brindó el ascenso a Quini diez años después" [Sporting toasted promotion to Quini ten years later]. Marca (in Spanish). 15 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ "Osasuna ficha al portero Roberto Fernández por tres temporadas" [Osasuna sign goalkeeper Roberto Fernández for three seasons]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 18 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ Martínez de Zúñiga, Uxue (29 August 2008). "Roberto: "Ricardo y yo llevamos bien la rivalidad"" [Roberto: "Ricardo and I have a quite sane rivalry"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ "El Granada cierra el fichaje del portero Roberto" [Granada complete signing of goalkeeper Roberto]. Marca (in Spanish). 14 July 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ Lamelas, Rafael (18 June 2011). "Apoteósico ascenso" [Apotheotic promotion]. Ideal (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ "El portero Roberto Fernández acaba de firmar con el CD Lugo" [Goalkeeper Roberto Fernández has just signed with CD Lugo] (in Spanish). CD Lugo. 17 July 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
^ Baniela, Dani (1 June 2018). "Roberto cuelga los guantes tras 17 temporadas y 400 partidos" [Roberto hangs up his gloves after 17 seasons and 400 matches]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 June 2018.

External links

Roberto at BDFutbol
Roberto at Futbolme (in Spanish)
Celta de Vigo biography (in Spanish)
Roberto at Soccerway

[1] Calleja, José Luis; Rodríguez, S. (20 July 2002). "Caras nuevas en ambos equipos" [New faces in both teams]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[2] Rosety, Manuel (10 February 2004). "Roberto: 637 minutos sin encajar ningún gol" [Roberto: 637 minutes without conceding a goal]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[3] García, S. (16 July 2006). "La joya de la corona" [The jewel of the crown]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[4] "El Sporting le brindó el ascenso a Quini diez años después" [Sporting toasted promotion to Quini ten years later]. Marca (in Spanish). 15 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[5] "Osasuna ficha al portero Roberto Fernández por tres temporadas" [Osasuna sign goalkeeper Roberto Fernández for three seasons]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 18 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[6] Martínez de Zúñiga, Uxue (29 August 2008). "Roberto: "Ricardo y yo llevamos bien la rivalidad"" [Roberto: "Ricardo and I have a quite sane rivalry"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[7] "El Granada cierra el fichaje del portero Roberto" [Granada complete signing of goalkeeper Roberto]. Marca (in Spanish). 14 July 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[8] Lamelas, Rafael (18 June 2011). "Apoteósico ascenso" [Apotheotic promotion]. Ideal (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[9] "El portero Roberto Fernández acaba de firmar con el CD Lugo" [Goalkeeper Roberto Fernández has just signed with CD Lugo] (in Spanish). CD Lugo. 17 July 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.

[10] Baniela, Dani (1 June 2018). "Roberto cuelga los guantes tras 17 temporadas y 400 partidos" [Roberto hangs up his gloves after 17 seasons and 400 matches]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 June 2018.

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