Arnau Solà

Not to be confused with Spanish manager and former footballer, Arnau Sala.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Solà and the second or maternal family name is Mateu.

Arnau Solà Mateu (born 4 April 2003) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Villarreal CF B, on loan from UD Almería.

Arnau Solà

Personal information
Full name	Arnau Solà Mateu
Date of birth	(2003-04-04) 4 April 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Amposta, Spain
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Left-back
Team information
Current team	Villarreal
Number	27
Youth career
2007–2010	Amposta
2010–2015	Rapitenca
2015–2022	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–2022	Barcelona B	11	(0)
2022–	Almería	0	(0)
2022–2023	→ Murcia (loan)	26	(0)
2023–2024	→ Cartagena (loan)	18	(1)
2024–	→ Villarreal B (loan)	0	(0)
International career
2021–2022	Spain U19	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 June 2024

Club career

Early career

Born in Amposta, Tarragona, Catalonia, Solà began his career with hometown side CF Amposta at the age of four. In 2010, aged seven, he moved to UE Rapitenca,^[1] and then joined FC Barcelona's La Masia in 2015, at the age of 12.^[2]

Barcelona

Solà was promoted to Barcelona's B team in July 2021,^[3][4] and made his senior debut on 28 August, coming on as a second-half substitute for Nils Mortimer in a 1–1 Primera División RFEF home draw against Algeciras CF.^[5] He spent the campaign playing both for the B's and the Juvenil side before being sidelined in February 2022, due to a spinal disc herniation:^[6] however, he still contributed to the victory of a national under-19 league title.^[7]

On 6 June 2022, Solà announced his departure from Barcelona after not renewing his contract, which would have expired at the end of the month.^[8]

Almería

On 7 July 2022, Solà joined La Liga side UD Almería on a permanent deal, signing a five-year contract.^[9]

Loan to Murcia

On 12 August, he joined Primera Federación side Real Murcia on loan for the entire season.^[10] He immediately became a starter for the side, being often deployed on the right flank.^[11]

Loan to Cartagena

On 20 July 2023, Solà was loaned out to Segunda División side FC Cartagena for one season.^[12][13] He made his professional debut on 18 August, starting in a 3–2 away loss to FC Andorra, and scored his first goal on 10 September, but in a 3–1 home loss to Real Zaragoza.

Loan to Villarreal

On 11 July 2024, Solà moved to Villarreal CF on a one-year loan deal, being assigned to the B-team in the third division.^[14]

International career

Solà has represented Spain at youth international level, having played for the under-19 national team.^[15][16]

Honours

Barcelona

• División de Honor Juvenil: 2021-22^[7]
• División de Honor Juvenil runners-up: 2020-21^[17]

References

1. "L'ampostí Arnau Solà participa en una sessió d'entrenament de Ronald Koeman amb el primer equip del FC Barcelona" [The ampostí Arnau Solà takes part of a training session of Ronald Koeman with the first team of FC Barcelona] (in Catalan). Ebre Sports. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
2. "Arnau Solà, otro lateral izquierdo de gran futuro" [Arnau Solà, another left back of great future] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
3. "First training session for Barça B". FC Barcelona. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
4. "L'ampostí Arnau Solà debuta amb el Barça B" [The ampostí Arnau Solà debuts with Barça B] (in Catalan). Ebre Digital. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
5. "Barça B 1–1 Algeciras: Draw to start the season". FC Barcelona. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
6. "Arnau Solà, intervenido satisfactoriamente" [Arnau Solà, successfully operated] (in Spanish). FC Barcelona. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
7. Zapico Díaz, José Antonio (4 June 2022). "El Barcelona, campeón de juveniles ante el Athletic" [Barcelona, youth champion in front of Athletic]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2023.
8. "Arnau Solà se despide del Barça y apunta al Almería" [Arnau Solà bids farewell from Barça and points to Almería] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
9. "Left-back Arnau Solá agrees terms with UD Almería". UD Almería. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
10. "Arnau Solá, equilibrio y juventud para el lateral izquierdo del Real Murcia C.F." [Arnau Solá, balance and youth for the left back of Real Murcia C.F.] (in Spanish). Real Murcia. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
11. "Solà, Javi Rueda y Arnau Ortiz, tres sub-23 que brillan en el Murcia" [Solà, Javi Rueda and Arnau Ortiz, three under-23s who shine at Murcia] (in Spanish). La Verdad. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
12. "Arnau Solá jugará en el Cartagena en calidad de cedido" [Arnau Solá will play at Cartagena on loan] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
13. Cartagena, Luis (27 July 2023). "Arnau Solá: "Quiero demostrar mucho en el Cartagena"". Diario AS (in European Spanish). Retrieved 13 August 2023.
14. "Arnau Solà, nuevo jugador del Villarreal B" [Arnau Solà, new player of Villarreal B] (in Spanish). Villarreal CF. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
15. "La Selección Española Sub-19 cae por la mínima ante Israel (0-1)". RFEF (in European Spanish). 26 October 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
16. "La Selección Española Sub-19 muestra su buen juego ante Israel a pesar del empate (1-1)". RFEF (in European Spanish). 28 October 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
17. Cudeiro, Juan L. (27 June 2021). "El Deportivo se proclama campeón de España juvenil tras derrotar a Barcelona y Real Madrid" [Deportivo become Spanish youth champions after defeating Barcelona and Real Madrid]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2023.

External links

• Arnau Solà at BDFutbol
• Arnau Solà at Soccerway
• Arnau Solà at WorldFootball.net