Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ricardo Penella Arias | ||
Date of birth | 25 February 1957 | ||
Place of birth | Catarroja, Spain | ||
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | Sweeper | ||
Youth career | |||
Benimar | |||
Valencia | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1976–1992 | Valencia | 411 | (3) |
1992–1993 | Castellón | 35 | (0) |
Total | 446 | (3) | |
International career | |||
1979 | Spain amateur | 2 | (0) |
1981 | Spain B | 2 | (0) |
1979 | Spain | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Ricardo Penella Arias (born 25 February 1957) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a sweeper.
He appeared in 501 competitive games for Valencia, winning three major titles including the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup. In La Liga, he played 377 matches and scored twice.[1]
Born in Catarroja, Valencian Community, Arias spent 16 of his 17 professional seasons – 15 in La Liga – with local club Valencia CF. He made his debut in the competition on 7 November 1976 by coming on as a late substitute in a 3–1 home win against CD Málaga,[2] and scored his first goal on 5 March 1978 to help defeat Sevilla FC 3–0 also at the Mestalla Stadium.[3] He contributed eight matches and one goal[4] in the team's victorious run in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, converting his attempt in the shootout in the final (0–0 after 120 minutes, in Brussels).[5][6]
Subsequently, Arias went on to become a defensive mainstay for the Che. They suffered relegation at the end of 1985–86, being immediately promoted the following campaign with one goal[7] in 34 games from the player.[8]
After only 16 appearances in 1991–92, the 35-year-old Arias signed for neighbouring CD Castellón in the Segunda División, closing out his career at the end of the season.[9]
Arias earned one cap for Spain: on 26 September 1979, he played the first half of a 1–1 friendly draw with Portugal, at Balaídos.[10]
In November 2014, Arias declared in an interview he was bankrupt, making ends meet by having odd jobs.[11] Shortly after, the father of four returned to Valencia to work in the club's social department.[12]
Valencia