Mikel Rico

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Mikel Rico
Personal information
Full name Mikel Rico Moreno
Date of birth (1984-11-04) 4 November 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Basauri, Spain
Height Script error: No such module "person height".
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Athletic Bilbao
Number 17
Youth career
Padura
2000–2003 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001 Basconia 1 (0)
2003–2004 Conquense B
2004–2005 Conquense 44 (3)
2005–2009 Poli Ejido 55 (2)
2005–2006 Conquense (loan) 35 (9)
2007–2008 Huesca (loan) 35 (6)
2009–2010 Huesca 42 (5)
2010–2013 Granada 114 (7)
2013– Athletic Bilbao 75 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 October 2015

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Mikel Rico Moreno (born 4 November 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao as a central midfielder.

Football career

Born in Basauri, Biscay, Rico played lower league football for the vast majority of his early years as a senior. The exception to this was in the 2006–07 season when he played twenty games for Polideportivo Ejido in Segunda División, starting three times to help the Andalusians rank in 11th position;[1] he also represented during that timeframe CD Basconia, UB Conquense[2] (reserves included) and SD Huesca.

In the 2009 summer, Rico returned to Huesca and the second level. On 19 June 2010 he scored one of his five goals during the campaign in a 1–0 away win against Celta de Vigo, being crucial as the Aragonese side finally avoided relegation.[3]

Rico moved to fellow league club Granada CF on 31 August 2010, for 600.000 and four years.[4] He posted similar individual numbers in his first year – 40 matches, two goals,[5][6] nearly 3,500 minutes of action – and his team returned to La Liga after more than three decades; he displayed versatility in the process, featuring in several positions.[7]

Rico made his debut in the top flight on 27 August 2011 at neary 27 years of age, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–1 derby home loss against Real Betis.[8] He scored his first goal in the competition on 31 October, contributing to a 2–1 success at Sevilla FC through a 90th-minute strike;[9] during his spell, he played as a box-to-box midfielder as well as a defensive one.[10]

Rico joined Athletic Bilbao in late August 2013, penning a three-year deal with a €35 million buyout clause.[11] He played his first game with his new team on 1 September, the first half of a 1–3 away defeat to Real Madrid.[12]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References

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External links

  1. El Poli Ejido presenta a Manolo y Rico (Poli Ejido presents Manolo and Rico); Marca, 19 July 2006 (Spanish)
  2. Mikel Rico despegó como futbolista en la UB Conquense... con un look diferente (Mikel Rico took off as footballer in UB Conquense... with a different look); Ideal, 31 December 2011 (Spanish)
  3. Mikel Rico sella la permanencia del Huesca (Mikel Rico seals Huesca permanence); Diario de Sevilla, 20 June 2010 (Spanish)
  4. El Granada ficha a Mikel Rico (Granada signs Mikel Rico); Marca, 31 August 2010 (Spanish)
  5. El Granada mantiene su buena racha ante el Girona (2–1) (El Granada continues streak against Girona (2–1)); Granada Hoy, 3 October 2010 (Spanish)
  6. Nàstic 0–3 Granada; Gimnàstic's official website, 8 May 2011 (Spanish)
  7. Mikel Rico vale para todo (Mikel Rico does it all); El País, 15 June 2011 (Spanish)
  8. Rubén Castro hace justicia (Rubén Castro does justice); El País, 27 August 2011 (Spanish)
  9. Sevilla slip up against Granada; ESPN Soccernet, 31 October 2011
  10. La nueva responsabilidad de Mikel Rico (Mikel Rico's new responsibility); Ideal, 13 October 2012 (Spanish)
  11. La Liga: Athletic Bilbao sign midfielder Mikel Rico from rivals Granada; Sky Sports, 22 August 2013
  12. Isco at the double to beat Bilbao; ESPN FC, 1 September 2013