Rafael Páez

Rafael "Rafa" Páez Cardona (born 10 August 1994) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Croatian club Istra 1961 as a defender, on loan from Deportivo Alavés.

Rafa Páez
Rafa Paez in 2018.
Personal information
Full name Rafael Páez Cardona
Date of birth (1994-08-10) 10 August 1994
Place of birth Orihuela, Spain
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Istra 1961 (on loan from Alavés)
Number 4
Youth career
2002–2006 EMF Orihuela
2006–2009 Hércules
2009–2013 Real Madrid
2013–2014 Liverpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Liverpool 0 (0)
2014–2015 → Bologna (loan) 8 (0)
2015 → Eibar (loan) 0 (0)
2015–2017 Alcorcón 18 (1)
2017–2018 UCAM Murcia 10 (0)
2018– Deportivo Alavés 0 (0)
2018 → Rudeš (loan) 10 (0)
2018–2019 → Sochaux (loan) 11 (0)
2019– → Istra 1961 (loan) 12 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 August 2020
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Páez and the second or maternal family name is Cardona.

Club career

Early career

Born in Orihuela, Alicante, Valencian Community, Páez joined Hércules CF's youth setup in 2006, aged 12, after starting it out at Escuela Municipal de Fútbol de Orihuela. In October 2009 he moved to Real Madrid, along with three other Hércules teammates.[2]

Liverpool

In August 2013, Páez was invited into a trial by Liverpool, and impressed during his time at the club. In September he rescinded his link with the Madrid outfit and signed a two-year contract with the Reds, being assigned to the reserves.[3][4]

Páez appeared in 15 matches for the under-21s during the campaign, scoring two goals (in a 2–4 loss against West Bromwich Albion and in a 5–2 win against Newcastle United), forming a partnership with Lloyd Jones.

Bologna (loan)

On 7 August 2014, Páez was loaned to Italian Serie B side Bologna in a season-long deal, with an option to buy.[5] He was handed the number 6 jersey for the season.

Páez made his professional debut on 29 August 2014, starting in a 1–2 away loss against Perugia.[6] He appeared in eight league matches for the club (562 minutes of action), but left in January 2015.

Eibar (loan)

On 30 January 2015, Páez joined La Liga's SD Eibar on loan until June, mainly as a replacement to Derby County-bound Raúl Albentosa.[7] However, he was unable to play for the club, as FIFA blocked the transfer alleging an administrative error by Eibar.[8][9]

Alcorcón

On 6 August 2015, Páez signed a permanent deal with Segunda División side AD Alcorcón.[10][11] He made his debut for the club on 13 September, coming on as a second-half substitute for Víctor Pastrana in a 1–0 home win against SD Ponferradina.

Páez scored his first professional goal on 24 April 2016, netting the first in a 1–3 away loss against Real Zaragoza. On 4 August of the following year, he terminated his contract with the Alfareros.[12]

References
  1. "6 Rafael PAEZ - Difensore" [6 Rafael PAEZ - Defender] (in Italian). Bologna's official website. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  2. "El misterio de los 4 canteranos fichados por el Real Madrid del Hércules CF" [The mystery of the 4 youth players signed by Real Madrid from Hércules CF] (in Spanish). JoinFutbol. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  3. "El Liverpool se lleva a un Juvenil del Real Madrid" [Liverpool takes a juvenil from Real Madrid] (in Spanish). Defensa Central. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  4. "Liverpool sign Rafael Paez". Kop Talk. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. "Paez al Bologna" [Paez to Bologna] (in Italian). Bologna's official website. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. "Bologna–Perugia, Cacia e Sansone non perdonano: i padroni di casa vincono 2–1" [Bologna–Perugia, Cacia and Sansone do not forgive: the hosts won 2–1] (in Italian). Umbria 24. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  7. "El Eibar obtiene del Liverpool la cesión del central Rafa Paéz" [Eibar obtains from Liverpool the loan of stopper Rafa Páez] (in Spanish). Eibar's official website. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  8. "Liverpool FC youngster in limbo after FIFA block transfer". Liverpool Echo. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  9. "El Eibar recurrirá ante el TAS la no concesión del transfer a Rafa Páez" [Eibar will resort to TAS the non allowance of Rafa Páez's transfer] (in Spanish). Eibar's official website. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  10. "Paez completes return to Spain". Liverpool's official website. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  11. "Rafa Páez es nuevo jugador de la AD Alcorcón" [Rafa Páez is the new player of AD Alcorcón] (in Spanish). Alcorcón's official website. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  12. "Rafa Páez concluye su vinculación con la AD Alcorcón" [Rafa Páez ends his link with AD Alcorcón] (in Spanish). AD Alcorcón. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
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