Jorge Larena-Avellaneda Roig (born 29 September 1981), known as Larena, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played usually as an attacking midfielder.

Jorge Larena
Larena training with Las Palmas in 2009
Personal information
Full name Jorge Larena-Avellaneda Roig
Date of birth (1981-09-29) 29 September 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Las Palmas, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
Las Palmas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2000 Las Palmas B
2000–2002 Las Palmas 69 (8)
2002–2005 Atlético Madrid 83 (4)
2005–2008 Celta 77 (9)
2008–2011 Las Palmas 81 (4)
2012–2013 Huesca 55 (1)
2013–2014 Recreativo 29 (1)
2014–2019 AEK Larnaca 151 (24)
Total 545 (51)
International career
2002–2003 Spain U21 13 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played 193 La Liga matches over seven seasons (15 goals), in representation of three teams, mainly Las Palmas for which he also appeared in the Segunda División. He also spent five years in the Cypriot First Division at the service of AEK Larnaca.

Club career

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Larena was born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. A product of hometown club UD Las Palmas' youth ranks, he played one game for the first team in the 1999–2000 season as they returned to La Liga after an absence of 12 years, and was first choice the following two top-flight campaigns, suffering relegation in the second after scoring seven goals from 36 matches. He made his debut in the competition on 23 September 2000, six days before his 19th birthday, in a 1–1 home draw against Real Valladolid.[1]

In summer 2002, Larena signed for Atlético Madrid, being regularly played by the Colchoneros over three seasons but rarely as a starter (37 appearances in that condition). Subsequently, he joined fellow top-division side RC Celta de Vigo, being relegated at the end of 2006–07. He scored six times the following year, but the Galicians nearly dropped down another level.[2]

On 16 July 2008, Larena returned to his native region and Las Palmas, agreeing to a three-year contract with the Segunda División club.[3] He made his official debut on 30 August, playing the entire 1–0 loss at Real Sociedad.[4]

Larena appeared in only 13 matches (617 minutes of action) in 2010–11, and did not have his contract renewed.[5][6] After being released by Las Palmas he went on trial at Football League One's AFC Bournemouth[7] and Greenock Morton in the Scottish Football League First Division,[8] but nothing came of it and he eventually signed for SD Huesca.[9]

Having joined in 2014 at the age of 33, Larena then spent several seasons in the Cypriot First Division with AEK Larnaca FC, sharing teams with a host of compatriots.[10]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[11][12][13]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Las Palmas 1999–2000 Segunda División 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2000–01 La Liga 32 1 1 0 33 1
2001–02 36 7 2 0 38 7
Total 69 8 3 0 72 8
Atlético Madrid 2002–03 La Liga 28 1 4 0 32 1
2003–04 29 2 4 0 33 2
2004–05 26 1 4 0 3[a] 0 33 1
Total 83 4 12 0 3 0 98 4
Celta 2005–06 La Liga 26 2 4 0 30 2
2006–07 16 1 2 0 4[b] 0 22 1
2007–08 Segunda División 35 6 1 0 36 6
Total 77 9 7 0 4 0 88 9
Las Palmas 2008–09 Segunda División 39 0 0 0 30 2
2009–10 29 2 0 0 29 2
2010–11 13 2 1 1 14 3
Total 81 4 1 1 82 5
Huesca 2011–12 Segunda División 18 1 0 0 18 1
2012–13 37 0 0 0 37 0
Total 55 1 0 0 55 1
Recreativo 2013–14 Segunda División 29 1 4 0 33 1
AEK Larnaca 2014–15 Cypriot First Division 30 5 6 0 36 5
2015–16 27 4 1 0 2[c] 0 30 4
2016–17 32 5 4 0 8[c] 0 44 5
2017–18 32 7 4 1 8[c] 1 44 9
2018–19 30 3 5 0 9[c] 2 44 5
Total 151 24 20 1 27 3 198 28
Career total 545 51 47 2 34 3 626 56
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. ^ a b c d Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

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AEK Larnaca

References

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  1. ^ García, P. (24 September 2000). "Las Palmas y Valladolid igualan en el Insular" [Las Palmas and Valladolid all square at the Insular]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Jorge Larena" (in Spanish). Yo Jugué en el Celta. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Jorge Larena: "Es uno de los días más felices de mi vida"" [Jorge Larena: "This is one of the happiest days of my life"]. Canarias7 (in Spanish). 16 July 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  4. ^ Isasa, Xabier (31 August 2008). "Injusta victoria de la R. Sociedad" [Unfair win for R. Sociedad]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  5. ^ Artiles Castellano, Alberto (12 April 2011). "Jorge Larena: "Es lógico que no me renueven, pero queda tiempo para lograrlo"" [Jorge Larena: "I find it logical that my contract is not renewed, but there's still time to do it"]. Canarias7 (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Jorge Larena: "Mi corazón siempre será amarillo"" [Jorge Larena: "My heart will always be yellow"] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 4 June 2011. Archived from the original on 21 September 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  7. ^ Wadley, Ian (30 November 2011). "MacDonald comes through reserve test unscathed". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  8. ^ "Morton take Spaniard and Finn on trial". Scottish Television. 12 December 2011. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  9. ^ Puyuelo, Jorge (31 January 2012). "Jorge Larena, tercer refuerzo invernal" [Jorge Larena, third winter signing]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  10. ^ Rubio, Quique (22 August 2016). "El 'Spanish AEK Larnaca' insiste con su fórmula en Chipre" [Spanish AEK Larnaca insist on formula in Cyprus]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Jorge Larena: Jorge Larena-Avellaneda Roig". BDFutbol. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  12. ^ "Jorge". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  13. ^ "Jorge". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  14. ^ Xarilaou, Xaris. "Cyprus 2017/18". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  15. ^ Xarilaou, Xaris. "Cyprus – List of Super Cup Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
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