Raúl Baena

José Raúl Baena Urdiales (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse raˈul βaˈenawɾˈðjales];[lower-alpha 1] born 2 March 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for CE Sabadell FC.

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

Raúl Baena
Baena training with Kitchee in 2021
Personal information
Full name José Raúl Baena Urdiales[1]
Date of birth (1989-03-02) 2 March 1989[1]
Place of birth Torrox, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Sabadell
Number 20
Youth career
1994–1999 Faro Torrox
1999–2003 Málaga
2003–2007 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Espanyol B 38 (3)
2009–2013 Espanyol 85 (2)
2013–2017 Rayo Vallecano 91 (4)
2017–2019 Granada 23 (0)
2018–2019 → Melbourne Victory (loan) 21 (1)
2019–2020 Atromitos 17 (0)
2020–2022 Kitchee 18 (3)
2023– Sabadell 12 (0)
International career
2006 Spain U17 4 (0)
2011 Spain U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:01, 25 June 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Espanyol

Born in Torrox, Province of Málaga, Andalusia, and after starting his footballing career at local Málaga CF[3] and later coming through the FC Barcelona's youth ranks,[4] Baena switched to Catalonia neighbours RCD Espanyol in 2007, at the age of 18. He made his debut with its first team on 4 October 2009 in a La Liga match against Villarreal CF, playing the second half as the ten-man side eventually held off the hosts to a 0–0 draw.[5]

Baena quickly became an integral part of the main squad, alternating starts with appearances from the bench in his debut season. On 12 December 2009, his penalty offense on FC Barcelona's Xavi supposed the game's only goal, in a derby defeat.[6]

Baena was regularly used by manager Mauricio Pochettino in the following campaigns, often partnering another club youth graduate, Javi Márquez, in central midfield.[7] On 21 January 2012 he scored his first goal in the top flight, opening the score in a 3–0 home victory over Granada CF.[8]

Rayo Vallecano

On 26 June 2013, Baena signed a two-year contract with Rayo Vallecano.[9] In 2014–15 he scored twice in 28 matches to help his team to finish 11th in the top tier and, at its closure, agreed to a two-year extension.[10]

Granada

Baena joined Granada of the Segunda División in the summer of 2017, agreeing to a three-year deal.[11] During his only season at the Nuevo Estadio de Los Cármenes, he acted as team captain.[12][13]

In September 2018, Baena signed for Melbourne Victory FC on a one-year loan.[13][14][15] He scored his only goal in the A-League on 1 December in a 4–0 home defeat of Western Sydney Wanderers FC,[16] and left the following May.[17][18][19]

Kitchee

Baena joined Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee SC on 10 December 2020, after one year with Atromitos F.C. in the Super League Greece.[20] On 1 May 2022, in the last group fixture of the AFC Champions League, he scored in injury time of the 2–2 home draw with Vissel Kobe, sending his team through to the knockout stage at the expense of Melbourne City FC.[21]

Later career

In February 2023, aged 34, Baena returned to Spain after five years away, with CE Sabadell FC of the Primera Federación.[22]

International career

Baena won his only cap for the Spain under-21 side on 28 March 2011 as a member of Espanyol, coming on as a 70th-minute substitute for Athletic Bilbao's Ander Herrera in the 1–1 friendly draw with Belarus held in Alcalá de Henares.[23][24]

Career statistics
As of 28 May 2023[25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Espanyol B 2009–10 Segunda División B 7200000072
Espanyol 2009–10 La Liga 19010——200
2010–11 15030——180
2011–12 32130——351
2012–13 19110——201
Total 85280——932
Rayo Vallecano 2013–14 La Liga 20030——230
2014–15 28220——302
2015–16 24120——261
2016–17 Segunda División 19100——191
Total 91470——984
Granada 2017–18 Segunda División 23000——230
Melbourne Victory (loan) 2018–19 A-League 2110030—241
Atromitos 2019–20 Super League Greece 17020——190
Kitchee 2020–21 Hong Kong Premier League 13100602[lower-alpha 2] 0211
2021–22 3220418[lower-alpha 2]0172
2022–23 2000—2[lower-alpha 3] 040
Total 18320100120423
Sabadell 2022–23 Primera Federación 12 0 0 0 — — 12 0
Career total 274 12 19 0 13 0 12 0 318 12

Notes
  1. In isolation, Baena is pronounced [baˈena].
  2. Appearances in Sapling Cup
  3. One appearance in Sapling Cup, one appearance in Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield

References
  1. "Baena". Diario AS. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  2. "Raúl Baena". Melbourne Victory FC. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  3. "Raúl Baena: "Soy del Málaga a muerte"" [Raúl Baena: "I'll be a Málaga fan until I die"] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  4. Llorens, Moisés (29 October 2008). "Bronca de Laporta con el abogado de un ex canterano" [Laporta run-in with former youth player's lawyer]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  5. "Drab draw for Villarreal". ESPN Soccernet. 4 October 2009. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  6. "Ibrahimovic spot-kick sinks Espanyol". ESPN Soccernet. 12 December 2009. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  7. Juárez, Mari Carmen (8 December 2010). "Pochettino tiene que rehacer su doble pivote" [Pochettino has to recompose holding midfielder tandem]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  8. "El Espanyol golea al Granada y duerme en puestos europeos (3–0)" [Espanyol rout Granada and sleep in European places (3–0)] (in Spanish). RTVE. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  9. "El Rayo ficha a Raúl Baena por dos temporadas" [Rayo sign Raúl Baena for two seasons]. La Información (in Spanish). 26 June 2013. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  10. "El Rayo sigue apostando por Baena" [Rayo still bet on Baena] (in Spanish). La Liga. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  11. "Raúl Baena cambia Vallecas por Granada" [Raúl Baena changes Vallecas for Granada]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 3 July 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  12. "Raúl Baena podrá jugar ante el Barça B al anularle Competición una amarilla" [Raúl Baena will be able to play against Barça B as Committee overrule yellow]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 30 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  13. Lynch, Michael (3 September 2018). "Melbourne Victory sign Spanish midfielder Raul Baena". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  14. "Melbourne Victory swoop for Spaniard Raul Baena". FourFourTwo. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  15. Green, Sam (3 September 2018). "Victory land Spanish midfielder Raul Baena". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  16. Harrington, Anna (1 December 2018). "Melbourne Victory turn in a 'statement' performance with 4–0 win over Wanderers". Fox Sports. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  17. "Victory sever ties with visa stars". FourFourTwo. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  18. Lynch, Michael (28 May 2019). "Baema, Niedermeier and Ingham depart Victory". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  19. "Rebuilding Victory shed Baena, Niedermeier, Ingham". The World Game. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  20. Zhihao, Yuan (10 December 2020). "【港超聯】前巴塞青訓投傑志成超級外援教練讚攻守兼備" (in Chinese). HK 01. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  21. Chadband, Ian (1 May 2022). "Ex-Victory man knocks City out of Asian CL". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  22. Arroyo, Adrián (2 February 2023). "Raúl Baena fitxa pel Sabadell i s'hi incorporarà dilluns" [Raúl Baena signs for Sabadell and will join them on Monday] (in Catalan). Ràdio Sabadell. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  23. "Fútbol/Sub-21.– Crónica del España-Bielorrusia; 1–1" [Football/Under-21.– Spain-Belarus match report; 1–1] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  24. "El torroxeño Raúl Baena jugó con la sub-21 española ante Bielorrusia" [Torrox-born Raúl Baena played with the Spanish under-21s against Belarus]. Diario Axarquía (in Spanish). 29 March 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  25. Raúl Baena at Soccerway
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