Francisco Javier 'Javi' García Guerrero (born 22 October 1976) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.

Javi Guerrero
Guerrero training with Las Palmas in 2009
Personal information
Full name Francisco Javier García Guerrero[1]
Date of birth (1976-10-22) 22 October 1976 (age 48)[1]
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Real Madrid C 29 (21)
1996–1999 Real Madrid B 52 (12)
1997Jaén (loan) 6 (0)
1998Terrassa (loan) 6 (2)
1999–2001 Albacete 67 (20)
2001 Atlético Madrid 0 (0)
2001–2005 Racing Santander 133 (44)
2005–2007 Celta 20 (0)
2006–2007Recreativo (loan) 23 (7)
2007–2009 Recreativo 49 (7)
2009–2013 Las Palmas 123 (36)
Total 508 (149)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He amassed La Liga totals of 195 games and 48 goals over seven seasons, mainly in representation of Racing de Santander and Recreativo (three years apiece). He added 251 matches and 72 goals in the Segunda División, in a professional career that lasted 18 years.

Club career

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Guerrero was born in Madrid. An unsuccessful youth graduate at Real Madrid, he also had loan stints with Real Jaén and Terrassa FC – respectively in the second and third divisions – before being released in the summer of 1999, after which he signed with Albacete Balompié in the former tier, going on to score 20 league goals over two seasons.[2]

Ahead of the 2001–02 campaign, Guerrero joined Atlético Madrid alongside teammate Jesús Muñoz,[3] but he was quickly deemed surplus to requirements by manager Luis Aragonés,[4] moving to Racing de Santander in late August without ever playing a competitive match.[5] He was always first choice during his spell with the Cantabria club, netting an average of 11 goals per season.[6]

For 2005–06 Guerrero joined RC Celta de Vigo,[7] although he would appear sparingly as the Galician team qualified for the UEFA Cup. He joined Recreativo de Huelva in September 2006 (initially on loan),[8] agreeing to a permanent contract ahead of the 2007–08 season. On 18 May 2008, his last-minute goal in a 1–1 home game against Real Valladolid helped the Andalusians to retain their top-flight status.[9]

After a weak 2008–09 campaign (only two goals, team relegation), the 32-year-old Guerrero returned to division two, signing a two-year deal with UD Las Palmas[10] and being the Canary Islands side's top scorer in his first two seasons at 11 and 12 respectively.[11][12] In spite of still having one year left in his contract, he retired at the end of 2012–13 with Las Palmas still in the second division, aged nearly 37.[13]

Guerrero remained attached to his last club, as a match scout.[13] In October 2017, he accepted an offer from Sevilla FC to act as a link between the board of directors and the first team.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Javi Guerrero at AS.com (in Spanish)  
  2. ^ "Javi Guerrero, único ex madridista en Huelva" [Javi Guerrero, only former Madrid man in Huelva] (in Spanish). Defensa Central. November 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Javi Guerrero, al Atlético" [Javi Guerrero, to Atlético]. El País (in Spanish). 22 June 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Luis Aragonés descarta a Javi Guerrero" [Luis Aragonés discards Javi Guerrero]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 6 August 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Javi Guerrero firmará mañana por el Racing de Santander" [Javi Guerrero will sign with Racing de Santander tomorrow]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 29 August 2001. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  6. ^ Marcos, José (26 April 2005). "Goles sefardíes para el Racing" [Sephardi goals for Racing]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  7. ^ Martínez, O. (17 July 2005). "El Celta ficha a Javi Guerrero por tres temporadas" [Celta sign Javi Guerrero for three seasons]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  8. ^ "El delantero Javi Guerrero se marcha cedido al Recre" [Forward Javi Guerrero goes to Recre on loan]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 1 September 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Recreativo Huelva 1–1 Valladolid". ESPN Soccernet. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  10. ^ "La UD ficha a Javi Guerrero" [UD sign Javi Guerrero]. La Provincia (in Spanish). 18 August 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  11. ^ González, Alexis (12 May 2010). "Javi Guerrero recuperó su olfato goleador y la alegría" [Javi Guerrero regained scoring touch and joy]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  12. ^ "El último Guerrero" [The last Warrior ("Guerrero" in English)] (in Spanish). Vavel. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  13. ^ a b Santana, José Miguel (21 June 2013). ""Me retiro como siempre soñé, sin arrastrarme por el terreno de juego"" ["I retire as i always dreamed of, without dragging myself on the pitch"]. La Provincia (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  14. ^ "Javi Guerrero ficha por el Sevilla como enlace con la plantilla" [Javi Guerrero signs for Sevilla as a link with squad]. Faro de Vigo (in Spanish). 20 October 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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