Àlex Moreno

Alexandre "Àlex" Moreno Lopera (Spanish pronunciation: [aleɣˈsandɾe ˈaleɣs moˈɾeno loˈpeɾa]; born 8 June 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Aston Villa as a left-back or left winger.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Moreno and the second or maternal family name is Lopera.

Àlex Moreno
Moreno with Rayo Vallecano in 2019
Personal information
Full name Alexandre Moreno Lopera[1]
Date of birth (1993-06-08) 8 June 1993[1]
Place of birth Sant Sadurní, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back, winger
Team information
Current team
 Aston Villa
Number 15
Youth career
Vilafranca
2011–2012 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 Vilafranca 1 (0)
2012–2013 Llagostera 27 (2)
2013–2014 Mallorca 31 (2)
2013–2014 Mallorca B 2 (1)
2014–2019 Rayo Vallecano 124 (8)
2015–2016 → Elche (loan) 40 (2)
2019–2023 Betis 99 (5)
2023– Aston Villa 19 (0)
International career‡
2022– Catalonia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:05, 20 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:31, 13 January 2023 (UTC)

He spent most of his career with Rayo Vallecano and Betis, achieving La Liga totals of 146 games and six goals over six seasons and winning the 2021–22 Copa del Rey with the latter club. In January 2023, he signed with Aston Villa.

Moreno has represented the Catalonia national side, making his debut in May 2022.

Club career

Early years and Mallorca

Born in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Barcelona, Catalonia, Moreno graduated from local FC Vilafranca's academy, making his senior debut in 2010–11 in the Tercera División. He signed with FC Barcelona in April 2011, being assigned to the youth side;[2][3] he started his career as a winger.[4]

In July 2012, Moreno joined Segunda División B club UE Llagostera.[5] He finished the campaign with 1,333 minutes of action, scoring twice.[6][7][8]

On 4 July 2013, Moreno moved to RCD Mallorca, recently relegated to the second division.[9] He played his first professional match on 18 August, in a 4–0 away loss against CE Sabadell FC in the Segunda División.[10]

Moreno scored his first goal in division two on 4 January 2014, the last in a 2–2 draw at UD Las Palmas.[11] He featured regularly during the season, as his team narrowly avoided another drop.[12]

Rayo Vallecano

On 15 July 2014, Moreno signed a four-year deal with Rayo Vallecano.[13] He made his La Liga debut on 14 September, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–3 home defeat against Elche CF.[14]

Moreno was loaned to Elche of the second tier for one year on 13 August 2015.[15] He was an undisputed starter after returning to the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas, netting three times from 40 appearances in 2017–18 as the side returned to the top flight as champions.[16]

Betis

On 21 August 2019, after suffering relegation, Moreno joined Real Betis on a five-year contract.[17] He scored his first goal for the Andalusians the following 11 January, in the 3–0 win over Club Portugalete in the second round of the Copa del Rey.[18] His first in the league came on 24 October 2021, helping the hosts to beat Rayo Vallecano 3–2.[19] He added a brace on 12 December, in a 4–0 defeat of Real Sociedad also at the Estadio Benito Villamarín.[20]

Moreno made eight appearances in the 2021–22 Spanish Cup, as they won the tournament for the third time in their history;[21] this included 105 minutes of the final against Valencia CF, won on penalties in Seville.[22]

Aston Villa

On 11 January 2023, Moreno joined Premier League club Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal;[23] he was given the number 15 shirt.[24] He made his league debut two days later, replacing the injured Lucas Digne early into an eventual 2–1 home win over Leeds United.[25]

On 20 May 2023, Moreno suffered a hamstring injury during a 1–1 draw against Liverpool. Following surgery, he was estimated to be sidelined for between three and four months.[26]

International career

Moreno made his debut for the non-FIFA Catalonia side on 25 May 2022, starting in a 6–0 win over Jamaica.[27]

Career statistics
As of match played 20 May 2023[28]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Llagostera 2012–13 Segunda División B 27240——312
Mallorca 2013–14 Segunda División 31210——322
Mallorca B 2013–14 Tercera División 21———21
Rayo Vallecano 2014–15 La Liga 11021——131
2016–17 Segunda División 37410——384
2017–18 Segunda División 40300——403
2018–19 La Liga 36100——361
2019–20 Segunda División 0000——00
Total 12483100001279
Elche (loan) 2015–16 Segunda División 40210——412
Betis 2019–20 La Liga 31021——331
2020–21 La Liga 23020——250
2021–22 La Liga 30580—7[lower-alpha 1]0455
2022–23 La Liga 15000—4[lower-alpha 1]0190
Total 995121001101226
Aston Villa 2022–23 Premier League 190———190
Career total 342202120011037422
  1. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Rayo Vallecano

Betis

References
  1. "Álex Moreno". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  2. Domènech, Oriol (26 April 2011). "La cantera del Barça se refuerza" [Barça's youth system is strengthened]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  3. López, José Ángel (10 April 2022). "El Barcelona muestra interés por Álex Moreno" [Barcelona show interest in Álex Moreno] (in Spanish). One Football. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  4. Silva, Samuel (6 April 2022). "Álex Moreno, en la agenda de la Premier... y del Barça" [Álex Moreno, watched by the Premier... and Barça]. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  5. "El Llagostera incorpora el davanter Àlex Moreno, del Barça juvenil" [Llagostera add forward Àlex Moreno, from Barça youths]. Diari de Girona (in Catalan). 16 July 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  6. "Carbón para el Baleares en Llagostera" [Baleares get tails in Llagostera]. Diario de Mallorca (in Spanish). 7 January 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  7. "El Llagostera aguanta con diez desde el 35'" [Llagostera hold on with ten from the 35th onwards]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 February 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  8. Freixa, Guillem; Ciurana, Eduard (1 October 2015). "La promesa ja és una realitat" [The promise is already a reality]. L'Esportiu (in Catalan). Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  9. "El Real Mallorca ficha a Alex Moreno del UE Llagostera" [Real Mallorca sign Alex Moreno from UE Llagostera] (in Spanish). RCD Mallorca. 4 July 2013. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  10. "El Sabadell golea y es el primer líder de la temporada" [Sabadell thrash and are the season's first leaders]. Marca (in Spanish). 18 August 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  11. "Las Palmas deja escapar una victoria de oro" [Las Palmas let a golden victory slip away]. Marca (in Spanish). 4 January 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  12. "Moreno y Vallejo renuevan con el Mallorca" [Moreno and Vallejo renew with Mallorca] (in Spanish). La Liga. 27 June 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  13. "Álex Moreno nuevo jugador del Rayo" [Álex Moreno new Rayo player] (in Spanish). Rayo Vallecano. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  14. "Rayo Vallecano 2–3 Elche". ESPN FC. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  15. "Álex Moreno cedido al Elche CF" [Álex Moreno loaned to Elche] (in Spanish). Rayo Vallecano. 13 August 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  16. González, Raúl (21 August 2019). "Álex Moreno, adiós al héroe del ascenso" [Álex Moreno, farewell to the promotion hero] (in Spanish). Unión Rayo. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  17. "Real Betis sign Álex Moreno". Real Betis. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  18. "0–3. Alex Moreno, Loren y Joaquín imponen la lógica en Portugalete" [0–3. Alex Moreno, Loren and Joaquín make logic prevail in Portugalete] (in Spanish). EFE. 11 January 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  19. Moreno, Cristina (24 October 2021). "El Betis se lleva un vibrante duelo en el Villamarin" [Betis take thrilling clash at the Villamarin]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  20. "Betis thump Real Sociedad 4–0 as Moreno bags a brace". ESPN. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  21. "Álex Moreno, campeón de Copa del Rey con el Real Betis" [Álex Moreno, King's Cup champion with Real Betis] (in Spanish). Campus Álex Moreno. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  22. "Real Betis 1–1 Valencia (5–4 on pens): Real Betis win Copa del Rey final on penalties". BBC Sport. 23 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  23. "Villa confirm Álex Moreno signing". Aston Villa F.C. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  24. "Moreno to wear number 15 shirt". Aston Villa F.C. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  25. Begley, Emlyn (13 January 2023). "Aston Villa 2–1 Leeds United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  26. "Alex Moreno: Aston Villa defender out until August after hamstring surgery". BBC Sport. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  27. "Montilivi vibra amb l'exhibició de Catalunya contra Jamaica" [Montilivi set ablaze with Catalonia display against Jamaica] (in Catalan). Catalan Football Federation. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  28. Àlex Moreno at Soccerway
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