Germán Pezzella

Germán Pezzella
Personal information
Full name Germán Alejo Pezzella
Date of birth (1991-06-27) 27 June 1991
Place of birth Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Betis
Number 20
Youth career
Kilómetro Cinco
Juventud Unida
2000–2005 Olimpo
2005–2009 River Plate
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2015 River Plate 69 (5)
2015– Betis 25 (3)
National team‡
2009–2011 Argentina U20 15 (0)
2011 Argentina U23 5 (2)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 May 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 October 2011
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Alejo and the second or maternal family name is Pezzella.

Germán Alejo Pezzella (born 27 June 1991) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a central defender for Spanish club Real Betis.

Career

Early career

Pezzella joined Club Atlético River Plate's youth setup in 2005, aged 14, after representing Club Olimpo. After impressing with the former's reserves he was called up to the pre-season in Canada, appearing in friendlies against Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Everton FC.[1]

River Plate

After being an unused substitute in a 0–0 away draw against Club Atlético Huracán on 18 October 2009, Pezzella made his senior debut on 7 December 2011, starting in a 1–0 home win against Defensores de Belgrano for the season's Copa Argentina.[2] His league debut came on 2 March of the following year, where he played the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Quilmes Atlético Club.[3]

Pezzella scored his first professional goal on 2 September 2012, netting the last in a 1–1 draw at Club Atlético Colón.[4] He also scored the equalizer in a 1–1 Superclásico home draw against Boca Juniors, just three minutes after coming off the bench.[5]

On 10 December 2014, Pezzella scored the last in a 2014 Copa Sudamericana final 2–0 win against Atlético Nacional, as his side won its first international title after a 17-year absence.[6]

Betis

On 10 July 2015 Pezzella signed a five-year contract with Real Betis, newly promoted to La Liga.[7] He made his debut for the club on 23 August, starting in a 1–1 home draw against Villarreal CF.[8]

International career

Pezzella played represented Argentina in 2009 Toulon Tournament. He also appeared with the side in 2011 South American U-20 Championship and 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, always as a starter.

On 1 September 2011 Pezzella was called up to the year's Pan American Games,[9] appearing in five matches and scoring two goals during the competition.

Honours

River Plate

References

  1. ↑ "En minutos, River ante Toronto FC" [In minutes, River against Toronto FC] (in Spanish). Taringa!. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "River venció al Defensores de Ortega y avanzó en la Copa Argentina" [River defeated Defensores de Ortega and went through in Copa Argentina] (in Spanish). La Voz del Interior. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "River quiso más, pero no pudo con el bloqueo de Quilmes" [River wanted more, but could not pass Quilmes' wall] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "River le empató sobre la hora a Colón y lo bajó" [River drew just in time against Colón and relegated them] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "River y Boca empataron 1–1 en un Superclásico bajo la lluvia" [River and Boca drew 1–1 in a Superclásico under the rain] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "River venció 2–0 a Atlético Nacional y se llevó la Copa Sudamericana" [River defeated Atlético Nacional by 2–0 and won Copa Sudamericana] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "El Betis hace oficial el fichaje del central argentino Pezzella" [Betis turns official the signing of Argentine stopper Pezzella] (in Spanish). Marca. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Rubén Castro llega justo a tiempo" [Rubén Castro arrives just in time] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  9. ↑ "Germán Pezzella aparece en la lista de la preselección para los Panamericanos" [Germán Pezzella appears in the pre-list for the Pan American Games] (in Spanish). Página 95. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
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