Joan Verdú

For the alpine skier from Andorra, see Joan Verdú (alpine skier).

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

Joan Verdú Fernández (Spanish: [ɟʝoˈam beɾˈðu];^[A] born 5 May 1983) is a Spanish former professional footballer.

Joan Verdú

Verdú playing for Catalonia in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Joan Verdú Fernández[1]
Date of birth	(1983-05-05) 5 May 1983 (age 41)[2]
Place of birth	Barcelona, Spain[2]
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1988–1993	Poble Sec
1993–2002	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002	Barcelona C	19	(2)
2002–2006	Barcelona B	134	(31)
2004	Barcelona	0	(0)
2006–2009	Deportivo La Coruña	85	(9)
2009–2013	Espanyol	144	(23)
2013–2014	Betis	20	(2)
2014–2015	Baniyas	24	(10)
2015–2016	Fiorentina	5	(1)
2016	Levante	13	(1)
2017–2019	Qingdao Huanghai	66	(26)
2020–2021	Montañesa	24	(1)
2021–2022	Hospitalet	32	(1)
Total		566	(107)
International career
2002	Spain U20	2	(1)
2006–2016	Catalonia	11	(3)
Managerial career
2022–2023	Damm (youth)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

A versatile midfielder, adept at both central or attacking midfielder, he started professionally at Barcelona, but played mainly for local rivals Espanyol during his career, amassing La Liga totals of 262 games and 35 goals over nine seasons and also representing in the competition Deportivo, Betis and Levante.

Club career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Verdú was a product of FC Barcelona's youth system.^[3] He played mainly for its B side as a senior, making his debut with the main squad on 27 October 2004 in a 1–0 away loss against UDA Gramenet in the round of 64 of the Copa del Rey;^[4] his second and last appearance took place on 7 December, in a 2–0 defeat at FC Shakhtar Donetsk for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.^[5]

Verdú moved to Deportivo de La Coruña for 2006–07, being relatively used by the Galicians throughout the season and scoring in a 2–0 away win over Villarreal CF on 11 February 2007.^[6] He produced similar numbers in his second year in La Liga.

Profiting from Juan Carlos Valerón's age and recurrent physical problems, Verdú had a breakthrough year in the 2008–09 campaign, often assuming the playmaking duties of the former while also adding seven league goals.^[7] However, after a new deal could not be agreed, the free agent moved back to his native region after three years, signing a four-year contract with RCD Espanyol.^[8]

Verdú netted against his previous team on 19 September 2009 in a 3–2 away victory,^[9] and started most of his first year, also benefitting from age and injury-related problems of another teammate, Iván de la Peña. Without any real competitor the following season – de la Peña only saw 30 minutes of action^[10][7]– he improved his numbers to 37 games and five goals, as the Pericos finished comfortably in midtable.^[11]

In summer 2013, free agent Verdú signed a four-year deal with another club in that tier, Real Betis.^[12] After suffering relegation,^[13] he went on to represent in quick succession Baniyas Club (United Arab Emirates),^[14] ACF Fiorentina (Italy)^[15] and Levante UD.^[16]

On 12 January 2017, the 33-year-old Verdú moved to the China League One with Qingdao Huanghai FC, where he shared teams with compatriot Martí Crespí.^[17] In November 2020, he returned to football at Nou Barris-based CF Montañesa of Tercera División, signing alongside his former Barcelona and Espanyol teammate Sergio García.^[18]

Career statistics

As of match played on 3 November 2019

Club	Season	League			Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Barcelona	2004–05[19]	La Liga	0	0	1	0	1[a]	0	2	0
Deportivo	2006–07[19]	La Liga	27	1	6	1	—		33	2
	2007–08[19]	La Liga	24	1	1	0	—		25	1
	2008–09[19]	La Liga	34	7	2	0	4[b]	1	40	8
	Total		85	9	9	1	4	1	98	11
Espanyol	2009–10[19]	La Liga	34	4	2	0	—		36	4
	2010–11[19]	La Liga	37	5	3	0	—		40	5
	2011–12[19]	La Liga	36	5	6	1	—		42	6
	2012–13[19]	La Liga	37	9	1	0	—		38	9
	Total		144	23	12	1	—		156	24
Betis	2013–14[19]	La Liga	20	2	3	1	7[c]	0	30	3
Baniyas	2014–15[20]	Arabian Gulf League	24	10	7	1	—		31	11
Fiorentina	2015–16[20]	Serie A	5	1	0	0	3[c]	0	8	1
Levante	2015–16[19]	La Liga	13	1	0	0	—		13	1
Qingdao Huanghai	2017[21]	China League One	29	8	1	1	—		30	9
	2018[20]	China League One	30	16	0	0	—		30	16
	2019[20]	China League One	7	2	0	0	—		7	2
	Total		66	26	1	1	—		67	27
Career total			357	72	33	5	15	1	405	78

1. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
2. Appearances in UEFA Cup
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Deportivo

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2008

Qingdao Huanghai

• China League One: 2019

Notes

1. In isolation, Joan is pronounced [ɟʝoˈan].

References

1. "Joan Verdú Fernández". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 April 2020.
2. "Joan Verdú". Eurosport. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
3. "Debe ser el número 23" [Must be number 23] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 18 November 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
4. Polo, Eduardo (28 October 2004). "Sorpresón" [Big surprise] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2015.
5. "N is for..." UEFA. 9 May 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
6. "El Deportivo logra su primera victoria de visitante" [Deportivo get first away win]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 11 February 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
7. Ramírez, Álvaro (24 June 2013). "Verdú, el relevo de Valerón, De la Peña y... ¿Beñat?" [Verdú, replacement of Valerón, De la Peña and... Beñat?] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
8. "Verdú ficha por el Espanyol" [Verdú signs for Espanyol]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 4 June 2009. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
9. "Espanyol win at Depor". ESPN Soccernet. 19 September 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
10. Iglesias, Quique (9 September 2009). "El regreso de Iván obliga a recolocar a Joan Verdú" [Iván's return forces a Joan Verdú replacement]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 April 2016.
11. Molero, Iván (25 January 2017). "Piatti es el jugador más decisivo del Espanyol en en siglo XXI" [Piatti is Espanyol's most decisive player in the XXI century]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
12. Rodríguez, Alejandro (24 June 2013). "El fichaje de Verdú por el Betis ya es oficial" [Verdú's signing for Betis is already official]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 February 2014.
13. Font, Sergi (25 July 2014). "Verdú, con cartel en el extranjero" [Verdú, with a name abroad]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 April 2016.
14. "Joan Verdú se va al Baniyas SC de los Emiratos Árabes" [Joan Verdú goes to Arab Emirates' Baniyas SC]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 8 August 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
15. "La Fiorentina ficha a Verdú" [Fiorentina sign Verdú]. Marca (in Spanish). 28 August 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
16. "Verdú, nuevo refuerzo del Levante" [Verdú, new addition of Levante]. Sport (in Spanish). 1 February 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
17. "Joan Verdú se va a China: firma por el Qingdao Huanghai" [Joan Verdú goes to China: signs for Qingdao Huanghai]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 12 January 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
18. "La Montañesa firma a los expericos Joan Verdú y Sergio García" [Montañesa sign former pericos Joan Verdú and Sergio García]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 6 November 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
19. "Verdú: Joan Verdú Fernández". BDFutbol. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
20. "Joan Verdú". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
21. "贝尔杜" [Verdú] (in Chinese). Soda Soccer. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.

External links

• Joan Verdú at BDFutbol