Xavi Molina

For other people named Javier Molina, see Javier Molina.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Molina and the second or maternal family name is Arias.
Xavi Molina
Personal information
Full name Francesc Xavier Molina Arias
Date of birth (1986-07-19) 19 July 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth La Canonja, Spain
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Reus FCR
Youth career
1994–1998 Canonja
1998–2005 Reus
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2009 Reus 42 (1)
2005–2006 → Rapitenca (loan)
2007–2008 → Rapitenca (loan) 30 (1)
2009–2012 Alcoyano 57 (0)
2012–2013 Atlético Baleares 36 (4)
2013–2018 Gimnàstic 167 (9)
2018–2019 Eupen 27 (2)
2019–2021 Córdoba 35 (1)
2021–2023 Badalona 63 (5)
2023– Reus FCR 39 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 October 2024

Francesc Xavier "Xavi" Molina Arias (born 19 July 1986) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Reus FCR as a central defender or a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Born in La Canonja, Tarragona, Catalonia, Molina graduated from local CF Reus Deportiu's youth academy, but made his senior debut while on loan at UE Rapitenca in the Tercera División. After being sparingly used in his return he rejoined the latter club for the 2007–08 season, where he excelled.

Molina was an undisputed starter for Reus the following campaign, appearing in 30 matches and scoring once as the team missed out promotion in the play-offs. In the summer of 2009, he signed for CD Alcoyano of the Segunda División B.

After being a regular in his first year at Alcoy, Molina missed most of his second (which ended in promotion) due to injury.[1][2] On 17 December 2011 he played his first match as a professional, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3–2 away loss against Real Murcia in the Segunda División.[3]

Molina moved to CD Atlético Baleares of the third division on 31 July 2012.[4] On 13 July of the following year, he joined Gimnàstic de Tarragona in the same league,[5] earning another promotion at the end of 2014–15.[2] He scored his first goal in the second tier on 23 August 2015, his side's first in the 2–2 home draw with Albacete Balompié.[6]

On 7 June 2018, aged nearly 32, Molina moved abroad for the first time in his career after signing for K.A.S. Eupen.[7] His first appearance in top-flight football took place on 29 July, in a 5–2 Belgian First Division A defeat at Club Brugge KV.[8]

Molina returned to his country and its lower leagues subsequently, representing Córdoba CF[9] and CF Badalona.[10]

References

  1. ^ Xavi Molina estará de seis a ocho meses de baja si se opera (Xavi Molina to miss from six to eight months if he undergoes surgery); Diario Información, 31 August 2010 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ a b El Córdoba CF cuenta en su plantilla con ocho especialistas en ascensos a Segunda (Córdoba CF have eight specialists in promotions to Segunda in their squad); ABC, 2 April 2020 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ El Murcia remonta dos goles en los últimos trece minutos (Murcia come back from two goals in the last thirteen minutes); Marca, 17 December 2011 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ Xavi Molina, otro refuerzo para la sala de máquinas (Xavi Molina, another addition for the machine room); Última Hora, 31 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ Xavi Molina ja és jugador del Nàstic (Xavi Molina is already a Nàstic player); Gimnàstic Tarragona, 13 July 2013 (in Catalan)
  6. ^ El Nàstic tira de coraje y empata un 0–2 con un penalti en el 94’ (Nàstic resort to guts and come back from 0–2 with 94th-minute penalty); Diario AS, 23 August 2015 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Xavi Molina rejoint la KAS Eupen (Xavi Molina joins KAS Eupen); KAS Eupen, 7 June 2018 (in French)
  8. ^ Club Brugge laat zich niet verrassen, Vossen en Wesley verdelen vijf goals tegen slap Eupen (Club Brugge not taken by surprise, Vossen and Wesley split five goals against a weak Eupen); Het Laatste Nieuws, 29 July 2018 (in Dutch)
  9. ^ Xavi Molina, decimoséptimo fichaje del Córdoba CF (Xavi Molina, Córdoba CF's seventeenth signing); El Día de Córdoba, 2 September 2019 (in Spanish)
  10. ^ FITXATGE | Xavi Molina (SIGNING | Xavi Molina); CF Badalona, 20 July 2021 (in Catalan)