Brian Fernández

Brian Fernández (born 26 September 1994) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Colón in the Argentine Primera División.

Brian Fernández
Fernández with Unión La Calera in 2018
Personal information
Full name Brian Leonel Fernández
Date of birth (1994-09-26) 26 September 1994
Place of birth Santa Fe, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Colón
Number 38
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 Defensa y Justicia 67 (15)
2015–2018 Racing Club 15 (0)
2017 → Sarmiento (loan) 5 (3)
2018 → Metz (loan) 7 (0)
2018 → Unión La Calera (loan) 12 (11)
2018–2019 Necaxa 30 (16)
2019 Portland Timbers 19 (11)
2020– Colón 5 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:22, 21 December 2020 (UTC)

Club career

Defensa y Justicia

Fernández made his professional debut for Defensa y Justicia on 25 May 2012 in a 1–0 loss to Ferro Carril Oeste. He participated in three matches but did not score a goal. In the following season Fernández participated in 13 matches, still without scoring.

In the 2013–14 season he secured a position as a starter and scored 11 goals including the goal that secured promotion for his club to the Primera División, against San Martín de San Juan on 15 May 2014.[1][2] On 8 August 2014 he scored his first goal in the Argentine top division in a 3–1 loss to Racing Club.

Racing Club

On 31 December 2014 Fernández was signed by Racing Club for a reported $1 million in exchange for 50% of his economic rights.[3] His first goal for the club was in the Copa Libertadores group stage against Sporting Cristal on 10 March 2015. He scored three goals in the competition before his club was eliminated by Guaraní in the quarter-finals. Fernández scored both goals in a 2–0 victory for Racing in his debut in the 2014–15 Copa Argentina against Independiente de Neuquén.

After the 12th round of the 2015 Argentine Primera División Fernández tested positive for prohibited controlled substances and was subsequently prohibited from playing professional football until 9 January 2017.[4] Fernández played the entire 2016 season for Racing Club's reserve team in the reserve league.[5]

After a slow return to Racing's professional squad in 2017, manager Diego Cocca had Fernández loaned out to Primera División side Sarmiento in May. For the club, he scored three goals in his first three matches. He played five of six remaining league matches for Sarmiento, who were relegated at the end of the season.[6]

Fernández was recalled to Racing Club after his loan. He scored against Independiente Medellín in the second round of the 2017 Copa Sudamericana on 27 June 2017.

FC Metz

On 23 August 2017, Fernández joined Ligue 1 side FC Metz on a one-year loan deal. Metz secured an option to sign him permanently.[7] He made seven substitute appearances for the senior squad without scoring before being moved the reserve squad in the Championnat National 3 (fifth division) for the remainder of the 2017 calendar year. In January 2018 his loan deal was terminated.[8]

Unión La Calera

On 4 January 2018, Fernández was loaned from Racing Club to newly-promoted Chilean Primera División club Unión La Calera with an option to buy.[9] The 23 year-old scored 11 goals in 12 league matches for Unión La Calera, helping to deliver one of the best seasons in the club's history.[10] His final match for the club was on 29 May against Colo-Colo, in which he scored in the 2–0 victory. Unión La Calera were 3rd place in the league at the time of Fernández's departure to Mexico.

Club Necaxa

On 7 June 2018, Liga MX club Necaxa confirmed the signing of Fernández on a three-year contract from Racing for a reported $3 million.[11] Fernández scored in his Necaxa debut in a 2–1 victory against Club América in the first round of the 2018–19 Apertura season. He scored four goals in 15 Torneo Apertura appearances, and twelve goals in 15 Torneo Clausura appearances, as well as two goals in two Copa MX appearances, both scored as a substitute in a 3–2 loss to Atlético San Luis. Necaxa qualified for the Clausura Liguilla playoffs, but Fernández did not participate because a transfer agreement for him had been reached.

Portland Timbers

On 6 May 2019, it was announced that Fernández had signed for Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers as a Designated Player for an undisclosed fee reported to be between $10 and $12 million, a Portland Timbers record.[12][13] Fernández netted one goal in his debut against the Houston Dynamo on 16 May, and scored eight goals in his first six matches for the Timbers.

On 7 October 2019, it was announced that Fernández has voluntarily entered MLS' Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program.[14] On 15 November 2019, Major League Soccer announced they had terminated his contract.[15]

Colón

Following his dismissal by Portland, Fernández moved back to his native Argentina, joining Argentine Primera División side Colón on 10 January 2020.[16][17]

Shortly after signing with Colón, Fernández reportedly disappeared and failed to arrive for training for three days. His disappearance was reported to the police, who issued an order for whereabouts, and he was later found alive and well at home. Various reasons for his absence were given, including "a flu" and later of a "personal problem".[18][19]

On 4 February, Fernández was again to miss training amid reports of a robbery where "...they pointed a gun at my [his] head". They also allegedly stole his Rolex watch and threw a brick through his window.[20] He was also reportedly threatened by his own father, due his father supporting Colón's local rivals Unión de Santa Fe.[21][22]

Personal life

Fernández has four footballing brothers: Leandro Fernández, Nicolás Fernández, Juan Cruz Villagra and Tomás Villagra; the latter two took their mother's surname.[23][24][25]

Doping case

Fernández tested positive for cocaine at two in-competition controls in May 2015, and was subsequently handed a three-month ban from sports by AFA, with the ban ending 3 September 2015.[4] The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) did however seek a two-year ban for him, and he was still suspended in late September 2015.[26] On 28 October it was announced that he had been banned for two years. The substance he had tested positive for was cocaine.[27]

Due to all of those positive drug results, he was moved to Racing Club's reserve team in 2016.[5]

Career statistics

Club
As of 1 July 2019[28]
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Cup [lower-alpha 1] Continental Total
League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Defensa y Justicia 2011–12 Nacional B 3 0 — — — 3 0
2012–13 13 0 — — — 13 0
2013–14 38 11 3 1 — — 41 12
2014 Superliga 13 4 — — — 13 4
Total 67 15 3 1 0 0 0 0 70 16
Racing Club 2015 Superliga 12 0 1 2 — 8[lower-alpha 2] 3 21 5
2016 — — — — 0 0
2016–17 3 0 3 1 — 1[lower-alpha 3] 0 7 1
2017–18 0 0 — — 1[lower-alpha 3] 1 1 1
Total 15 0 4 3 0 0 10 4 29 7
Sarmiento (loan) 2016–17 Superliga 5 3 1 0 — — 6 3
Metz (loan) 2017–18 Ligue 1 7 0 0 0 — — 7 0
Metz II (loan) 2017–18 National 3 3 3 — — — 3 3
Unión La Calera (loan) 2018 Primera División 12 11 — — — 12 11
Necaxa 2018–19 Liga MX 30 16 2 2 — — 32 18
Portland Timbers 2019 MLS 5 6 2 3 — — — 7 9
Career totals 144 54 12 9 0 0 10 4 166 67
  1. Includes: MLS Cup Playoffs
  2. Appearances in Copa Libertadores
  3. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana

References
  1. ":: BRIAN FERNÁNDEZ, LA PROMESA SE HIZO REALIDAD .:.: Defensa Pasión :.:". defensapasion.com.ar. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  2. "Con gol de Brian Fernandez, Defensa y Justicia ascendió a Primera | Extremista.com.ar". 24 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  3. "El Racing campeón tiene su primer refuerzo: Brian Fernández – TN.com.ar". Todo Noticias (in Spanish). 5 January 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  4. Suspendido por doping: Brian Fernández estará tres meses sin jugar, canchallena.lanacion.com.ar, 24 July 2015
  5. Duro descargo de Brian Fernández, que insultó a un periodista tras ser acusado por un nuevo doping‚ infobae.com, 19 January 2016
  6. De 2017, 24 De Mayo. "La pelea de Brian Fernández contra las adicciones: "Estoy fuerte para no consumir más"". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  7. "Brian Fernandez (Racing Club) prêté avec option d'achat à Metz". L'Équipe (in French). 23 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  8. "Official | Argentine striker Brian Fernández has loan terminated by Metz | Get French Football News". www.getfootballnewsfrance.com. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  9. "La Calera incorporó al argentino Brian Fernández". ESPN.cl (in Spanish). 5 January 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  10. "Brian Fernández deja La Calera y parte al Necaxa mexicano". La Tercera (in Spanish). 28 May 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  11. "Brian Fernández se va al Necaxa de México". Diario Popular (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  12. "Official: Portland Timbers acquire Brian Fernandez as DP from Necaxa". MLSsoccer.com. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  13. Stejskal, Sam. "Timbers sign Argentine DP Brian Fernandez from Necaxa". The Athletic. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  14. "Portland Timbers forward Brian Fernandez voluntarily enters league's SABH program | MLSsoccer.com".
  15. "Major League Soccer terminates Brian Fernandez contract | Portland Timbers".
  16. "Colón announce Brian Fernández signing". BeSoccer. 12 January 2020.
  17. Colón, Club Atlético (10 January 2020). "¡Bienvenido al Club Atlético Colón, Brian! Tu sueño y el de los sabaleros se hace realidad #ElClubDelPueblopic.twitter.com/yGQYrpTTgc".
  18. "Colón. Apareció Brian Fernández: "No puedo salir a la calle por las amenazas "". www.lanacion.com.ar. 25 January 2020.
  19. De 2020, 23 De Enero. "Misterio e incertidumbre tras la ausencia de Brian Fernández a las prácticas en Colón". Infobae.
  20. "Brian Fernández sufre de un asalto y una mala relación con su padre por jugar en el otro equipo de la ciudad". ESPN.com.mx. 4 February 2020.
  21. Rubio, Billy (4 February 2020). "Brian Fernández denuncia que fue víctima de un violento asalto".
  22. "Brian Fernández faltó a otra práctica de Colón: "Me apuntaron con un arma en la cabeza"". www.clarin.com.
  23. "El enorme gesto de Brian Fernández tras la victoria de Colón ante Defensa: Le brindó consuelo a su hermano Juan Cruz Villagra". TNT Sports. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  24. "Brian Fernández: "Fue una alegría enorme jugar contra mi hermano"". LT10. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  25. "La dinastía Fernández y Villagra". El Litoral. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  26. Brian Fernández presenta mañana un recurso de amparo para poder jugar pese a la inminente sanción de la Conmebol por doping, deportes.terra.com.ar, 22 September 2015
  27. Argentino é suspenso por dois anos após doping por cocaína na Libertadores, esportes.estado.com.br, 28 October 2015
  28. "Argentina – B. Fernández – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
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