Antonio Núñez (footballer)

Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Family name hatnote Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Antonio Núñez Tena (born 15 January 1979) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a right midfielder.

His early career included spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool, on the fringes of both teams. Much of the rest of his career was spent in the Segunda División, while he also played three years for Apollon Limassol in Cyprus.

Club career

Real Madrid

Born in Madrid, Núñez started his career with San Federico, before joining Tercera División team Las Rozas. In 2001, he moved to Real Madrid, his favourite club growing up.

Courtesy of manager Carlos Queiroz, Núñez was promoted to the main squad for the 2003–04 season. On 2 September 2003, in his La Liga debut, he came on as a substitute for Javier Portillo 15 minutes from time in an away game against Villarreal and scored the 1–1 equaliser after just seven minutes;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> for the remainder of the campaign, however, in which the Merengues came up totally empty, he only made a further ten league appearances, all from the bench.

Liverpool

In August 2004, Núñez was transferred to Liverpool, becoming Rafael Benítez's second signing as manager – after compatriot Josemi – as part of an exchange deal that saw Michael Owen go in the opposite direction for £8 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He injured his knee in his first day of training for the Reds, and was out of action for three months.<ref name=ECHO>Template:Cite news</ref> He made his Premier League debut on 28 November, playing 21 minutes in a 2–1 win over Arsenal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Núñez scored his first and only goal for Liverpool in the 3–2 loss against Chelsea in the final of the Football League Cup,<ref name=LC>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> therefore becoming the only player in the club's history to score his only goal for the team in a major cup final. In his only season, he also won a UEFA Champions League medal, as he was one of the substitutes in the final against AC Milan (although he did not play).<ref name=ECHO/>

Celta and later years

Following a disappointing season, Núñez transferred back to Spain and joined newly-promoted side Celta Vigo on 26 July 2005. During his three-year spell with the Galicians, where he would be heavily played, he also lived one top-flight relegation, and joined Real Murcia in the summer of 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In August 2009, Núñez bought out the remainder of his Murcia contract and was released, shortly after joining Cyprus' Apollon Limassol. After three seasons, he returned to his country and its Segunda División, signing a one-and-a-half-year deal with Huesca.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After the team's relegation in 2013, he remained in the division by agreeing to a four-month contract at Deportivo La Coruña on 12 September;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he was part of the squad that returned to the top tier after one year, but started only seven matches and did not score once.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 8 July 2014, Núñez signed a one-year deal at Recreativo,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> scoring five times in his first season as the team descended to Segunda División B. In April 2016, he spoke to Diario AS about the club's financial emergency that was threatening its existence.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career statistics

Club performance<ref name=SW>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:FBref</ref>	League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Supercopa de España		Europe		Total
2003–04	Real Madrid	La Liga	11	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	13	1
England			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
2004–05	Liverpool	Premier League	18	0	1	0	3	1	5	0	27	1
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Supercopa de España		Europe		Total
2005–06	Celta	La Liga	32	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	33	2
2006–07			24	0	2	0	0	0	7	1	33	1
2007–08		Segunda División	40	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	40	5
2008–09	Murcia	Segunda División	35	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	37	1
2008–09	Apollon Limassol	Cypriot First Division	17	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	1
2009–10			26	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	27	3
2010–11			17	3	1	0	2	0	0	0	20	3
2011–12	Huesca	Segunda División	16	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	17	4
2012–13			39	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	40	2
2013–14	Deportivo	Segunda División	22	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	23	0
Total	Spain		219	15
	England		18	0
	Cyprus		60	7
Career total			297	22

Honours

Liverpool

• UEFA Champions League: 2004–05<ref name=ECHO/>
• Football League Cup runner-up: 2004–05<ref name=LC/>

Apollon Limassol

• Cypriot Cup: 2009–10<ref name=SW/>

External links

• Template:BDFutbol
• Template:Soccerbase