Apoño

Apoño

File:Antonio Galdeano Benítez.JPG Apoño training with Málaga in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Antonio Galdeano Benítez
Date of birth	(1984-02-13) 13 February 1984
Place of birth	Málaga, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Marbella
Youth career
	26 de Febrero
2000–2003	Málaga
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	San Pedro
2004–2007	Marbella	84	(13)
2007–2012	Málaga	120	(15)
2012	→ Zaragoza (loan)	17	(5)
2012–2013	Zaragoza	32	(9)
2013–2014	Las Palmas	29	(1)
2014	OFI Crete	3	(0)
2015	El Palo	9	(1)
2016–	Marbella	5	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 April 2016

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Galdeano and the second or maternal family name is Benítez.

Antonio Galdeano Benítez (born 13 February 1984), known as Apoño, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Marbella FC as a central midfielder. A player with both hard-working and playmaking skills, he is also a penalty kick specialist.

Club career

Early career

Born in Málaga, Apoño began his career with local UD San Pedro and, for the 2004–05 season, moved to Andalusia neighbours UD Marbella in Segunda División B, where he would remain three years.

Málaga

In July 2007, Apoño joined Segunda División side Málaga CF – after having emerged through its youth system – also in his native region, being an instrumental figure in its return to La Liga after a two-year absence. He was brought in as the club was coached by Juan Ramón López Muñiz, who had briefly managed the player at Marbella.

In the following campaign, Apoño remained a starter: he made his top division debut on 31 August 2008, in a 0–4 loss at Atlético Madrid, and finished the campaign with nine league goals – best in the squad with striker Nabil Baha – seven from penalty kicks, notably in a 3–4 loss at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium against Real Madrid.

On 30 July 2010, after a season with many injury problems, with Málaga only ranking in 17th position, Apoño signed a contract extension with Málaga, running until June 2014. He made his 100th official appearance for the club alongside teammate Weligton, in a 1–4 home defeat against Real Madrid on 16 October 2010, and finished 2010–11 with 27 league appearances (26 starts) and one goal.

After the first match in the following campaign, a 1–2 away loss against Sevilla FC in which he was replaced at half-time – with the score at 2–0 for the hosts – reacting angrily, Apoño was suspended by coach Manuel Pellegrini. He returned to action nearly two months after, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–4 home defeat against Real Madrid; on 9 January 2012 the Chilean told the player to start looking for a new club, as their altercation had continued for too long.

Zaragoza

On 19 January 2012, Apoño was loaned out to fellow league side Real Zaragoza for the rest of the season. He made his debut for his new team three days later, starting in a 0–0 draw at Levante UD.

Apoño scored his first goal(s) for the Aragonese on 21 March, netting a brace (one penalty) for bottom-placed Zaragoza in a 2–1 away win against Valencia CF. The following round, again from the 11-meter spot, he scored in the 95th minute for the game's only goal in a home success over Atlético Madrid, and featured heavily as the club again retained its division status in the last round.

Personal life

Apoño's younger brother, Juan, is also a footballer and a midfielder. He also appeared for Málaga, but only for the B-team. The siblings shared teams at CD El Palo.

External links

• Apoño profile at BDFutbol
• Apoño profile at Futbolme (Spanish)
• Apoño at Soccerway

• Atlético Madrid 4–0 Málaga; ESPN Soccernet, 31 August 2008
• Real Madrid 4–3 Málaga; ESPN Soccernet, 8 November 2008
• El Málaga renueva a Apoño hasta 2014 (Málaga renews Apoño until 2014); Marca, 30 July 2010 (Spanish)
• Sevilla see off Malaga; ESPN Soccernet, 28 August 2011
• Málaga boss Pellegrini wants Apoño apology; A Different League, 29 September 2011
• Pellegrini le pide a Apoño que se busque equipo (Pellegrini tells Apoño to look for a club); Marca, 9 January 2012 (Spanish)
• Apoño jugará cedido en Zaragoza hasta junio (Apoño to play on loan with Zaragoza until June); El Desmarque, 19 January 2012 (Spanish)
• Levante held by lowly Zaragoza; ESPN Soccernet, 22 January 2012
• Che stunned by Zaragoza; ESPN Soccernet, 21 March 2012
• Apono late show downs Atletico; ESPN Soccernet, 25 March 2012
• 'Juanillo', el hermano de Apoño, llegaría al filial ('Juanillo', Apoño's brother, would arrive for the reserves); El Periódico de Aragón, 25 July 2012 (Spanish)
• Juanillo: «Quiero que se me conozca por Juanillo, no por ser el hermano de Apoño» (Juanillo: «I want to be known as Juanillo, not as Apoño's brother»); Diario Sur, 18 October 2013 (Spanish)
• Apoño y Juanillo miran a México (Apoño and Juanillo look to Mexico); Málaga Hoy, 13 August 2015 (Spanish)