Paul Abasolo Amantegi (Spanish pronunciation: [pawl aβaˈsolo amanˈtexi]; born 29 June 1984) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a forward.

Paul Abasolo
Personal information
Full name Paul Abasolo Amantegi
Date of birth (1984-06-29) 29 June 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Durango, Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 12 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1995–1996 Lauaxeta Ikastola
1996–2002 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2003 Basconia 35 (5)
2003–2004 Barakaldo 24 (1)
2004–2006 Eibar 2 (0)
2005Lemona (loan) 16 (4)
2005–2006Logroñés (loan) 24 (2)
2006–2007 Logroñés 29 (8)
2007–2010 Real Unión 82 (12)
2010 Iurretako
2011 Lemona 11 (1)
2011–2012 Oviedo 21 (2)
2012–2013 Sestao 26 (0)
2014 Amurrio 13 (5)
2015–2016 Zamudio 45 (17)
2016–2017 Portugalete 12 (8)
2018–2021 Batea 41 (10)
Total 381 (75)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Born in Durango, Biscay, Abasolo spent seven years connected with Athletic Bilbao, six in the youth system and one with the farm team, CD Basconia.[1] Released in 2003, he played the better part of the following six years in the Segunda División B and in his native Basque Country, the sole exception being SD Eibar in the first part of the 2004–05 season in the Segunda División, with that club loaning him consecutively to two other teams in division three, SD Lemona[2] and Logroñés CF.[3]

In the 2009–10 campaign, Abasolo competed for the second time in the second tier of Spanish football, scoring four goals[4][5][6][7] in 34 games for Real Unión[8] as they suffered relegation one year after being promoted.[9] After a few months playing with a regional league side, he resumed his career in the third division with Lemona, Real Oviedo and Sestao River Club.[10]

Conviction

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Convicted of sexual assault in July 2010 for having attacked three young women, Abasolo was acquitted on a fourth charge due to doubts of the alleged victim.[11] He was eventually pardoned by the Government of Spain, but this fact prevented him from being hired by his former club Athletic Bilbao.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ Abasolo: "Para mí es una gozada ver jugar a este Athletic" (Abasolo: "I'm having a blast watching this Athletic play"); Mundo Deportivo, 7 December 2011 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Cuatro fichajes sobre la bocina (Four signings at the buzzer); Mundo Deportivo, 1 February 2005 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ El Logroñés CF inicia hoy el trabajo con 20 jugadores (Logroñés CF start working today with 20 players); El Correo, 23 July 2007 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ El Real Unión se aprovecha de un Castellón que no levanta cabeza (Real Unión take advantage of sunken Castellón) Archived 21 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Marca, 3 October 2009 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ Un gran Real Unión dejó sin dos puntos al Betis (Great Real Unión rob Betis of two points) Archived 21 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Marca, 11 October 2009 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ El Real Unión cae 2–1 ante el Cádiz en el Carranza con un gol de Ogbeche (Real Unión fall 2–1 against Cádiz at the Carranza with Ogbeche goal) Archived 9 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine; El Mundo, 25 October 2009 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ El Real Unión cree en la salvación ante un 'novato' Numancia (Real Unión believe in survival against 'rookie' Numancia) Archived 18 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine; Marca, 22 May 2010 (in Spanish)
  8. ^ Paul Abasolo no jugará con el Athletic (Paul Abasolo will not play for Athletic) Archived 10 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Marca, 15 July 2009 (in Spanish)
  9. ^ El Hércules vuelve a Primera catorce años después (Hércules return to Primera fourteen years later); ABC, 19 June 2010 (in Spanish)
  10. ^ Neira, Abasolo y Zarrabeitia, más calidad para el Portugalete (Neira, Abasolo and Zarrabeitia, more skill for Portugalete); El Desmarque, 2 June 2016 (in Spanish)
  11. ^ Condenan a un ex futbolista del Real Unión a 3 años de cárcel por abusos sexuales (Real Unión footballer sentenced to 3 years in jail for sexual assault) Archived 20 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine; El Mundo, 6 July 2010 (in Spanish)
  12. ^ Abasolo, indultado de tres delitos de agresión sexual (Abasolo, pardoned on three sexual assault charges) Archived 2 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine; La Nueva España, 21 January 2012 (in Spanish)
  13. ^ Abasolo auzia: Indultuak zabaldutako zauriak (The Abasolo case: the wounds opened by the pardon) Archived 14 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine; Argia, 1 April 2012 (in Basque)
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