Arnau Martínez

Arnau Martínez
Personal information
Full name Arnau Martínez López
Date of birth (2003-04-25) 25 April 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Premià de Dalt, Spain
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Right-back, centre-back
Team information
Current team
Girona
Number 4
Youth career
Premià Dalt
2010–2016 Barcelona
2016–2018 Hospitalet
2018–2021 Girona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Girona B 7 (0)
2021– Girona 117 (6)
International career
2021–2022 Spain U19 6 (1)
2022– Spain U21 12 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Spain
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Runner-up 2023 Georgia–Romania Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023

Arnau Martínez López (born 25 April 2003) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Girona. Mainly a right-back, he can also play as a centre-back.

Club career

Born in Premià de Dalt, Barcelona, Catalonia, Martínez joined FC Barcelona's La Masia in 2010, after playing for CE Premià de Dalt.[2] He left the club in 2016, and represented CE L'Hospitalet before moving to Girona FC in September 2018.[3]

On 29 November 2020, after renewing his contract until 2023,[4] Martínez made his senior debut with the reserves, starting in a 2–2 Tercera División away draw against UE Sant Andreu.[5] He made his first team debut on 17 December, coming on as a second-half substitute for Enric Franquesa in a 2–0 away win against Gimnástica Segoviana CF, for the season's Copa del Rey.[6]

Martínez made his professional debut on 7 January 2021, again replacing Franquesa in a 2–1 home win against CD Lugo, also for the national cup.[7] His Segunda División debut occurred on 28 March, as he started in a 2–1 home success over Albacete Balompié.

Martínez subsequently established himself as a starter, and scored his first professional goal on 9 May 2021 by netting the opener in a 4–1 away routing of UD Logroñés; aged 18 years and 14 days, he became the youngest goalscorer of the club's history.[8]

Career statistics

As of match played 20 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Girona B 2020–21 Tercera División 7 0 7 0
Girona 2020–21 Segunda División 12 1 4 0 4[a] 0 20 1
2021–22 Segunda División 36 1 2 0 4[a] 1 42 2
2022–23 La Liga 33 3 2 0 35 3
2023–24 La Liga 21 0 5 0 26 0
2024–25 La Liga 15 1 2 1 4[b] 0 21 2
Total 117 6 15 1 4 0 8 1 144 8
Career total 124 6 15 1 4 0 8 1 151 8
  1. ^ a b Appearances in La Liga play-offs
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

References

  1. ^ "Arnau Martínez". Girona FC. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Arnau Martínez López" (in Spanish). Futbol Base Català. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Arnau Martínez ficha por el Girona FC" [Arnau Martínez signs for Girona FC] (in Spanish). Double Match. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2021.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "El juvenil Arnau completa una convocatòria sense Juanpe ni Stuani" [The juvenil Arnau completes a call-up without Juanpe nor Stuani] (in Catalan). Diari de Girona. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  5. ^ "El Sant Andreu y el Girona B empatan 2–2 y se reparten los puntos" [Sant Andreu and Girona B draw by 2–2 and share the points] (in Spanish). 20 Minutos. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Arnau Martínez i Gonpi debuten amb el primer equip" [Arnau Martínez and Gonpi debut with the first team] (in Catalan). Diari de Girona. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Una prórroga y un final loco da el pase al Girona" [An extra time and a crazy ending give the green light to Girona] (in Spanish). Marca. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Ha nacido una estrella en el Girona: Arnau Martínez" [A star is born in Girona: Arnau Martínez] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.