Arzu (footballer)

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is García and the second or maternal family name is Muñoz.

Arzu
Arzu betis.JPG
Arzu in 2008
Personal information
Full name Arturo García Muñoz
Date of birth (1981-03-17) 17 March 1981 (age 40)
Place of birth Dos Hermanas, Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Youth career
Betis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 Betis B 33 (4)
2000–2011 Betis 270 (12)
2001–2002 → Córdoba (loan) 22 (1)
2011–2012 Gimnàstic 29 (0)
2012–2013 BEC Tero Sasana 16 (2)
Total 370 (19)
National team
2001 Spain U20 1 (0)
2002–2003 Spain U21 10 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Arturo García Muñoz (born 17 March 1981), known as Arzu, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back.

He spent most of his professional career with Betis, appearing in 200 La Liga games over the course of seven seasons (12 years with the club overall, 317 official matches) and winning one Copa del Rey.

Club career[]

Betis[]

A product of Andalusian club Real Betis's youth system, Arzu was born in Dos Hermanas, Seville, and he played for its B-team during the 1999–2000 season, scoring twice in 19 league games. In the following campaign, he made his debuts with the main squad who was playing in the second division – 16 matches, two goals – helping achieve promotion but subsequently staying in the category, being loaned to neighbours Córdoba CF.

In his first season in La Liga, Arzu netted four times from 35 appearances, including one in the opener away to Deportivo de La Coruña on 1 September 2002 (4–2 win).[1] He added a further 60 league games in the following two years combined, as in 2004–05 Betis finished fourth.

During the 2005–06 campaign, Arzu appeared in eight European matches: four in the UEFA Champions League (scoring against Liverpool in a 2–1 group stage home loss[2]) and in the UEFA Cup. On 13 May 2006, he netted a crucial equalizer in a 1–1 draw at Atlético Madrid on the last matchday, with the Verdiblancos barely avoiding relegation.[3]

Still a defensive cornerstone in 2008–09, Arzu featured in 34 contests – mostly as a centre back – but Betis was relegated for the first time in nine years. In August 2011, after only taking part in 17 games as the side returned to the top level, he was released from his contract.[4]

Later years[]

In the penultimate day of the 2011 summer transfer window, Arzu signed with Gimnàstic de Tarragona in the second level.[5] On 7 May of the following year, he terminated his contract with the Catalans (who suffered relegation) by mutual consent.[6]

In August 2012, aged 31, Arzu moved abroad for the first time, joining Thai Premier League club BEC Tero Sasana FC.[7]

References[]

  1. ^ El Betis arrolla al Depor con un fútbol de lujo (Betis crushes Depor with deluxe football); El Mundo, 2 September 2002 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Real Betis 1–2 Liverpool; BBC Sport, 13 September 2005
  3. ^ El Atlético despide la temporada con un justo empate ante el Betis (Atlético bids farewell to season with fair draw against Betis); Marca, 13 May 2006 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ Arzu rescinde contrato (Arzu terminates contract) Archived 31 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Betis Web, 24 August 2011 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ Arzu dará experiencia a la medular del Nàstic (Arzu to provide experience in Nàstic's back sector); Marca, 30 August 2011 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ El Nàstic rescinde el contrato de Arzu (Nàstic terminates Arzu's contract); Marca, 7 May 2012 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Arzu, presentado con el Berc-Tero [sic] tailandés (Arzu, presented with Berc-Tero from Thailand); Manquepierda, August 2012 (in Spanish)

External links[]

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