Spanish footballer
In this
Spanish name , the first or paternal
surname is
Sánchez and the second or maternal family name is
Domínguez .
César Sánchez Domínguez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈθesaɾ ˈsantʃeθ] ; born 2 September 1971), sometimes known as simply César , is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper .
In 20 La Liga seasons, he played 401 games, with Valladolid , Real Madrid , Zaragoza , Valencia and Villarreal , being first choice in three of those clubs and winning seven major titles with the second, including the 2002 Champions League . He also appeared once for Spain .
From January to June 2020, César was sporting director at Valencia.
Club career
Valladolid and Real Madrid
César was born in Coria, Cáceres , Extremadura . He graduated from Real Valladolid 's youth academy, and made his debut with the first team in a 0–6 home defeat against FC Barcelona where he came on for Mauro Ravnić early into the second half, at the end of the 1991–92 season .[ 2] He only missed a total of four league games between 1995 and 2000.[ 3]
Sánchez signed in 2000–01 for La Liga giants Real Madrid , initially backing-up wonderkid Iker Casillas . However, the following season , he eventually became first-choice and started five out of nine UEFA Champions League matches during the capital side's victorious campaign , but was substituted by Casillas in the final with Bayer 04 Leverkusen after suffering an injury.[ 4]
Zaragoza and Tottenham
César joined Real Zaragoza for 2005–06 ,[ 5] and was everpresent in the Aragonese side's lineups during three seasons. In August 2008, after their relegation to Segunda División , new manager Marcelino García Toral sent the player to the reserves .[ 6]
Shortly after, Sánchez was bought by Juande Ramos 's Tottenham Hotspur .[ 7] He made his first and only appearance for the London club in a 4–2 victory over Liverpool in the fourth round of the Football League Cup , replacing injured Heurelho Gomes .[ 8]
Valencia
César returned to Spain on 20 January 2009, joining Valencia CF on a free transfer until the end of the season [ 9] as the Che had just lost first-choice Renan to a groin injury, during a 3–2 loss at Athletic Bilbao . Despite this, the former was still named on the bench for a Tottenham game on the 21st, the League Cup semi-final second leg against Burnley ;[ 10] two days later, Tottenham announced that his contract had been cancelled by mutual consent,[ 11] and he retained his starting status even when the Brazilian recovered from his injury.[ 12]
After an impressive half-season, César renewed his contract for another year.[ 13] He started the 2009–10 campaign on the bench, playing second-fiddle to new signing Miguel Ángel Moyá ; however, after unconvincing displays by the latter, he regained the starting spot,[ 14] keeping consecutive clean sheets against Racing de Santander (1–0),[ 15] defending champions Barcelona (0–0),[ 16] UD Almería (3–0)[ 17] and Málaga CF (1–0).[ 18] In May 2010, after helping Valencia to the third place, with the team consequently returning to the Champions League , the veteran agreed to a further one-year extension.[ 19]
On 2 April 2011, César became the second oldest goalkeeper in Spanish League history as he appeared – as a starter – in a 4–2 defeat of Getafe CF , aged 39 years and 212 days.[ 20] He contributed 15 appearances, as his team finished third and qualified for the Champions League .
Later career
However, after the club acquired Diego Alves and renewed youth graduate Vicente Guaita 's contract, César became surplus to requirements. On 2 June 2011, he signed a one-year deal with Valencian Community neighbours Villarreal CF ,[ 21] making his league debut on 10 September in a 2–2 home draw against Sevilla FC : after replacing sent off Diego López early into the first half, he stopped the ensuing penalty by Álvaro Negredo , whom however managed to score with a putback.[ 22] Subsequently, he became only the fifth player to appear in a Spanish top division match over the age of 40, following Harry Lowe , Jacques Songo'o , Amedeo Carboni and Donato .[ 23] [ 24]
César returned to the Mestalla Stadium on 20 January 2020, being appointed sporting director on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[ 25] However, five months later, he resigned from the post.[ 26]
International career
César earned his first and only cap for Spain on 16 August 2000, in a 4–1 friendly defeat to Germany in Hannover .[ 27]
Honours
Real Madrid
See also
References
^ a b c d "CÉSAR Sánchez" . El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 March 2020 .
^ Domènech, Joan (25 May 1992). "Goleada de miedo" [Scary rout] (PDF) . Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ Salvador, Alvar (1 June 2013). "Pucelano histórico: César Sánchez" [Historical pucelano : César Sánchez] (in Spanish). Vavel . Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ "Madrid win ninth European crown" . UEFA. 15 May 2002. Archived from the original on 6 June 2002. Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ "César switches to Zaragoza" . UEFA. 13 June 2005. Retrieved 24 May 2010 .
^ Gaudioso, Sonia (8 August 2008). "Juande 'rescata' a César y se lo lleva al Tottenham" [Juande 'rescues' César and takes him to Tottenham]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ "Sánchez signs" . Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 12 August 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008 .
^ Lyon, Sam (11 November 2008). "Tottenham 4–2 Liverpool" . BBC Sport . Retrieved 12 November 2008 .
^ Barbeta, Amparo (21 January 2009). "César es el elegido" [César is the chosen one]. Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2009 .
^ Hughes, Ian (21 January 2009). "Burnley 3–2 Tottenham (agg 4–6)" . BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 March 2020 .
^ "Sanchez departs" . Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2009 .
^ Vara, M.A. (12 June 2009). "Le buscan cesión a Renan y César aún puede renovar" [Loan wanted for Renan and César may still renew]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ "César renueva con el Valencia" [César renews with Valencia]. Marca (in Spanish). 24 June 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009 .
^ Carratalá, J. E. (17 February 2010). "¿Qué portero debería jugar contra el Brujas, Moyà o César?" [What goalkeeper should play against Brugge, Moyà or César?]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ Villalobos, Fran (4 October 2009). "Pinillos se confundió con Zigic" [Pinillos thought he was Zigic]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ Aldunate, Ramiro (18 October 2009). "El Valencia frena al líder" [Valencia halt leaders]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ "0–3. El Valencia se quita la presión en su visita a Almería" [0–3. Valencia shake pressure off in visit to Almería]. Público (in Spanish). 25 October 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ Madden, Paul (1 November 2009). "Malaga 0–1 Valencia: Navarro wins it for Los Che" . Goal . Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ "Mercado: El Valencia renueva al veterano portero César" [Market: Valencia renew veteran goalkeeper César] (in Spanish). Goal. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2016 .
^ "César, el portero más veterano de la Liga" [César, the League's most veteran goalkeeper]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 2 April 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2011 .
^ "Cesar Sanchez joins Villarreal – report" . Goal. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011 .
^ "Villarreal claim battling draw" . ESPN Soccernet . 10 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2011 .
^ "Última alegría para el Deportivo" [Last joy for Deportivo] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes . 21 May 2004. Retrieved 21 February 2012 .
^ "Los futbolistas con más edad que han jugado en LaLiga" [Oldest footballers to have played in LaLiga]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 28 December 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020 .
^ Lidón, Inma (20 January 2020). "El Valencia ficha a César Sánchez como director de fútbol" [Valencia sign César Sánchez as director of football]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 March 2020 .
^ Torres, David (29 June 2020). "El mensaje de despedida de César Sánchez vestido de corto" [César Sánchez's farewell message in uniform] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 21 September 2020 .
^ Gascón, Javier (17 August 2000). "Desastre" [Disaster]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 June 2014 .
^ a b c d e "César" . Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2018 .
External links