Miguel de las Cuevas

Miguel de las Cuevas

De las Cuevas with Atlético Madrid in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Miguel Ángel de las Cuevas Barberá
Date of birth	19 June 1986
Place of birth	Alicante, Spain
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Osasuna
Number	20
Youth career
	Agustinos
1993–2000	Kelme
2000–2002	Valencia
2002–2003	Hércules
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	Hércules B
2003–2006	Hércules	68	(3)
2006–2009	Atlético Madrid	24	(0)
2009–2013	Sporting Gijón	121	(18)
2013	→ Osasuna (loan)	16	(1)
2013–2015	Osasuna	44	(4)
2015–2016	Spezia	16	(2)
2016–	Osasuna	14	(1)
National team
2005	Spain U19	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 June 2016.

Miguel Ángel de las Cuevas Barberá (born 19 June 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CA Osasuna. A versatile midfield element, he can play both in the wings and behind the forwards, but usually occupies the attacking midfielder position.

Club career

Born in Alicante, Valencian Community, de las Cuevas started his professional career with hometown club Hércules CF, in the third division. In the 2004–05 season, he was instrumental as the team achieved promotion to the second level after a six-year-absence.

For the 2006–07 campaign, de las Cuevas signed with Atlético Madrid. During preseason, on 13 August, in the Teresa Herrera Trophy match against Club Nacional de Football, he suffered a serious ankle injury that kept him out of action for more than one year.^[1]

De las Cuevas finally made his debut for the Colchoneros on 12 December 2007, playing the second half in a Copa del Rey away game against Granada 74 CF, in the round-of-32.^[2] He appeared in 13 La Liga matches in his first season after returning from injury, 12 as a substitute.

On 25 June 2009, after producing slightly the same numbers with Atlético, de las Cuevas moved to fellow top level side Sporting de Gijón on a four-year deal – however, Atlético retained an option to rebuy in the first three.^[3] He had a breakthrough season in 2009–10, ranking second in goals in the team; highlights included braces against RCD Mallorca (4–1^[4]), Athletic Bilbao (2–1, away^[5]) and one against former club Atlético (1–1), the goal that certified Sporting's permanence in the top flight for a further year, on 8 May 2010.^[6]

Still under manager Manuel Preciado, de las Cuevas was again an undisputed starter for Gijón in the 2010–11 season. On 2 April 2011, he scored the only goal in a win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, ending José Mourinho's record of nine years and 150 matches unbeaten at home;^[7] he only missed one league match and added six goals, in another final escape from relegation.^[8]

On 11 January 2013, de las Cuevas was loaned to CA Osasuna thus returning to the top flight.^[9] The move was made permanent in late May after the Navarrese managed to retain their status, with a €1.2 million fee being paid in equal shares to Atlético and Sporting.^[10]

On 29 January 2015, de las Cuevas terminated his contract that ran until June 2016, and moved abroad for the first time in his career at the age of 28, signing with Spezia Calcio in Italy.^[11][12] His first game in the Serie B occurred on 14 February, as he featured 73 minutes in a 0–0 draw at Carpi F.C. 1909.^[13]

In late September 2015, de las Cuevas successfully underwent surgery to his heart after an anomaly was detected. He was sidelined for six months.^[14][15]

On 1 February 2016, de las Cuevas returned to Osasuna on a free transfer.^[16]

Club statistics

As of 16 May 2010^[17]

Season	Club	Competition	Apps	Goals	Assists
2006/07	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	0	0	0
2007/08	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	13	0	0
2008/09	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	11	0	1
2009/10	Sporting Gijón	La Liga	37	8	3
Total			61	8	4

References

1. Atlético lose new recruits; UEFA.com, 14 August 2006
2. 1–2. Atlético resolvió el partido en dos minutos (1–2. Atlético solved it in two minutes); Soitu, 12 December 2007 (Spanish)
3. El Sporting cierra el fichaje de Miguel de las Cuevas (Sporting closes Miguel de las Cuevas deal); Marca, 25 June 2009 (Spanish)
4. Miguel at the double in Sporting win; ESPN Soccernet, 4 October 2009
5. Sporting Gijon continue fine form; ESPN Soccernet, 18 October 2009
6. Gijon secure top-flight status; ESPN Soccernet, 8 May 2010
7. Mourinho home record ended; ESPN Soccernet, 2 April 2011
8. De las Cuevas: "El Sporting me lo da todo para poder triunfar aquí" (De las Cuevas: "Sporting provides everything so i can make it here"); Marca, 3 June 2011 (Spanish)
9. De las Cuevas ya está cedido a Osasuna (De las Cuevas has already been loaned to Osasuna); El Comercio, 11 January 2013 (Spanish)
10. El Atlético cobrará la mitad del traspaso de De las Cuevas (Atlético to receive half of De las Cuevas' transfer); El Comercio, 28 May 2013 (Spanish)
11. De las Cuevas se marcha a Italia (De las Cuevas goes to Italy); Marca, 29 January 2015 (Spanish)
12. "Mercato: è De Las Cuevas il nuovo matador aquilotto" [Market: De Las Cuevas is the new aquilotto killer] (in Italian). Spezia Calcio. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
13. Chichizola para un rigore e lo Spezia impatta 0–0 a Carpi (Chichizola saves penalty and Spezia draws 0–0 at Carpi); La Nazione, 14 February 2015 (Italian)
14. Spezia, De las Cuevas stop di sei mesi (Spezia, six-month pause for De las Cuevas); Corriere dello Sport, 28 September 2015 (Italian)
15. De las Cuevas, operado con éxito de su anomalía cardíaca (De las Cuevas, successful surgery to cardiac anomaly); Marca, 30 September 2015 (Spanish)
16. "Mercato: risoluzione consensuale per Miguel De las Cuevas" [Market: mutual termination for Miguel De las Cuevas] (in Italian). Spezia Calcio. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
17. "De las Cuevas". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 February 2014.

External links

• Miguel de las Cuevas profile at BDFutbol