Antonio "Toni" Soldevilla Castellsagué (born 19 December 1978) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender.

Toni Soldevilla
Personal information
Full name Antonio Soldevilla Castellsagué
Date of birth (1978-12-19) 19 December 1978 (age 45)
Place of birth L'Hospitalet, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Espanyol
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1999 Espanyol B 76 (3)
1995–1996Hospitalet (loan) 5 (0)
1997–2005 Espanyol 116 (3)
2005–2006 Poli Ejido 7 (0)
2006–2007 Apollon Limassol 0 (0)
2007–2008 Amkar Perm 5 (0)
2009–2010 Marbella 8 (0)
2010 Caravaca 12 (1)
2011 Ontinyent 8 (1)
2011–2012 Pro Duta 28 (2)
2013 Alcoyano 13 (0)
2013–2014 Jove Español 13 (2)
2014–2015 Eldense 21 (1)
Total 312 (13)
International career
1997 Spain U18 3 (0)
1997 Spain U20 1 (0)
1998 Spain U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He amassed La Liga totals of 116 games and three goals, all with Espanyol. He added 122 matches and five goals in the Segunda División B where he represented a host of clubs, and also competed professionally in Russia and Indonesia.

Club career

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Soldevilla was born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia. Brought through the ranks of RCD Espanyol, he made his first-team debut on 19 February 1997 in a 0–2 La Liga home loss against Athletic Bilbao, being sent off in the game.[1] He made 133 competitive appearances for the club with four goals, eventually becoming first-choice while partnering fellow youth graduate Alberto Lopo in the centre and also captaining the squad.[2]

However, Soldevilla grew unsettled and left it in 2005, citing personal reasons; he had already spent several months away from the game during the 2003–04 season.[3][4] He signed for Segunda División side Polideportivo Ejido midway through 2005–06.[5]

After an unsuccessful trial with Ipswich Town[6] and starting off 2006–07 in Cyprus with Apollon Limassol FC, Soldevilla became the first Spanish player in the Russian Premier League, joining FC Amkar Perm for the start of the 2007 campaign.[7] He was released in early March 2008.[8]

Soldevilla agreed to a contract at UD Marbella of Segunda División B in December 2009, following a one-month trial. He split the following season also in that tier, totalling 20 matches for Caravaca CF[9] and Ontinyent CF.[10]

Honours

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Espanyol

References

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  1. ^ El Athletic siembra de dudas Sarrià (Athletic shower Sarrià with doubts); El País, 20 February 1997 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Soldevilla da un paso más hacia su regreso (Soldevilla one step closer to returning); Diario AS, 14 October 2003 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ El Espanyol no sabe dónde está Soldevilla (Espanyol do not know where Soldevilla is); Cadena SER, 29 December 2003 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ Soldevilla vuelve al fútbol (Soldevilla returns to football); El País, 30 June 2004 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ Poli Ejido anuncia fichaje de ex espanyolista Toni Soldevilla (Poli Ejido announce signing of former Espanyol player Toni Soldevilla) Archived 27 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Terra, 20 January 2006 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ Ipswich hand midfielder contract; BBC Sport, 21 August 2006
  7. ^ Soldevilla se convierte en el primer jugador español en la Liga rusa (Soldevilla becomes first Spanish player in Russian League); El País, 26 February 2007 (in Spanish)
  8. ^ El técnico del Amkar ruso prescinde de Toni Soldevilla (Russia's Amkar coach deems Toni Soldevilla surplus to requirements) Archived 5 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Mundo Deportivo, 2 March 2008 (in Spanish)
  9. ^ El tempranero gol del Lorca le vale para imponerse al Caravaca (1–0) (Lorca's early goal is good enough to down Caravaca (1–0)); La Verdad, 10 October 2010 (in Spanish)
  10. ^ La permanència no pot esperar més a Ontinyent (Survival cannot wait any longer in Ontinyent); Ara, 26 March 2011 (in Catalan)
  11. ^ Un gol de Posse mete al Espanyol en la final a costa de un apático Madrid (Posse goal puts Espanyol in final at the expense of lethargic Madrid); Última Hora, 27 April 2000 (in Spanish)
  12. ^ El Espanyol se corona en Mestalla (Espanyol crowned at Mestalla); El País, 28 May 2000 (in Spanish)
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