Luismi (footballer, born 1992)

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

Luis Miguel Sánchez Benítez (born 5 May 1992), known as Luismi, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Málaga.

Luismi

Luismi with Valladolid in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Luis Miguel Sánchez Benítez[1]
Date of birth	(1992-05-05) 5 May 1992 (age 32)[1]
Place of birth	Puerto Serrano, Spain
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Málaga
Number	19
Youth career
	Sevilla
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2012	Sevilla C	27	(0)
2012–2015	Sevilla B	72	(0)
2014–2016	Sevilla	1	(0)
2016–2020	Valladolid	33	(3)
2017	→ Gimnàstic (loan)	14	(1)
2020	→ Oviedo (loan)	19	(1)
2020–2021	Elche	11	(0)
2021–2024	Oviedo	83	(2)
2024–	Málaga	10	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2024

Club career

Sevilla

Born in Puerto Serrano, Cádiz, Andalusia,^[2] Luismi graduated from Sevilla FC's youth setup, making his debut as a senior with the C side in the Tercera División. In July 2012, he signed his first professional contract, also being promoted to the reserves in the Segunda División B.^[3]

On 11 November 2012, Luismi broke two bones in his skull in the dying minutes of a 1–0 home win over Real Jaén,^[4] only returning to action on 31 March of the following year, against the same club.^[5] On 1 February 2014, he was called up by manager Unai Emery for a La Liga match against Málaga CF as a replacement for Cardiff City-bound Cala,^[6] also being selected to the game against UD Almería on 8 March^[7] but remaining on the bench on both occasions.

Luismi penned a new two-year deal with the Andalusians on 3 July 2014,^[8] being also an unused substitute in the 2014 UEFA Super Cup 2–0 loss to Real Madrid at Cardiff City Stadium on 12 August.^[9] He made his first-team – and top division – debut on 23 August, replacing Vicente Iborra in the 80th minute of a 1–1 home draw against Valencia CF.^[10]

On 30 July 2015, Luismi agreed to an extension, being definitely promoted to the main squad and being assigned the number 16.^[11] The jersey, worn by Antonio Puerta when he died playing for Sevilla in 2007, was only to be given to products of the club's academy from that moment onwards;^[12] halfway through the campaign, however, he was stripped of the number when it was controversially handed to Argentine Federico Fazio.^[13]

Valladolid

After turning down an offer to play for the reserves in Segunda División, Luismi signed a two-year contract at Real Valladolid on 29 June 2016.^[14] On 29 December, having been rarely used, he was loaned to Gimnàstic de Tarragona also of the second tier.^[15] He scored in his second appearance for the latter on 14 January 2017, opening a 1–1 draw at UCAM Murcia CF.^[16]

Luismi returned to the Estadio José Zorrilla ahead of 2017–18, being a regular starter in an eventual top-flight promotion.^[17] On 15 January 2020, however, after failing to feature in any league matches over two seasons (due to injury),^[18] he was loaned to Real Oviedo of division two until June.^[19]

Elche

On 25 September 2020, Luismi agreed to a two-year contract with Elche CF, recently promoted to the top tier.^[20] He only started twice in his only season,^[21] as the club narrowly avoided relegation.^[22]

Oviedo

On 16 August 2021, Luismi returned to Oviedo as a free agent on a two-year deal.^[23] An habitual starter, he featured sparingly in the 2023–24 campaign while dealing with several injury problems.^[24]

Luismi left in July 2024.^[25]

Later career

On 19 July 2024, Luismi signed a two-year contract with Málaga CF also in the second division.^[26]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 May 2021^[27]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sevilla C	2011–12[28]	Tercera División	27	0	—		27	0
Sevilla B	2012–13[29]	Segunda División B	15	0	—		15	0
	2013–14[29]	Segunda División B	27	0	—		27	0
	2014–15[29]	Segunda División B	30	0	—		30	0
	Total		72	0	0	0	72	0
Sevilla	2013–14[29]	La Liga	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2014–15[29]	La Liga	1	0	0	0	1	0
	2015–16[29]	La Liga	0	0	2	0	2	0
	Total		1	0	2	0	3	0
Valladolid	2016–17[29]	Segunda División	4	0	3	0	7	0
	2017–18[29]	Segunda División	29	3	1	0	30	3
	2018–19[29]	La Liga	0	0	2	0	2	0
	2019–20[29]	La Liga	0	0	1	0	1	0
	2020–21[29]	La Liga	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		33	3	7	0	40	3
Gimnàstic (loan)	2016–17[29]	Segunda División	14	1	0	0	14	1
Oviedo (loan)	2019–20[29]	Segunda División	19	1	0	0	19	1
Elche	2020–21[29]	La Liga	11	0	2	0	13	0
Career total			177	5	11	0	188	5

References

1. "Luismi". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2022.
2. Martín, Iván (19 July 2024). "El Málaga CF hace oficial la llegada de Luismi Sánchez" [Málaga CF make arrival of Luismi Sánchez official]. La Opinión de Málaga (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 October 2024.
3. "Luismi hará la pretemporada con el Sevilla Atlético y firma contrato profesional" [Luismi will spend the preseason with Sevilla Atlético and signs a professional contract] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 7 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
4. "El sevillista Luismi, operado con éxito de una fractura craneal" [Sevilla's Luismi, successfully operated from a cranial fracture]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 November 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
5. "Lusimi: "Han sido mis peores cinco meses, pero estoy muy contento de estar de vuelta"" [Luismi: "These have been my worst five months, but I am so glad to be back"] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 6 April 2013. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
6. "El Sevilla FC llegó a Málaga esta misma mañana con la novedad de última hora de Luismi" [Sevilla FC arrived in Málaga this morning with the last-minute addition of Luismi] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 1 February 2014. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
7. "Lista de 18 con la principal novedad de Luismi y la vuelta de Iborra y Vitolo" [18-man list with Luismi as the main novelty and the return of Iborra and Vitolo] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 8 March 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
8. "Luismi renueva dos temporadas con el Sevilla FC" [Luismi renews for two seasons with Sevilla FC] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 3 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
9. Phillips, Rob (12 August 2014). "Super Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice in Real Madrid win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
10. Campos, Tomás (23 August 2014). "Punto de fe del Valencia" [Valencia point of faith]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 September 2014.
11. "Luismi firmará contrato profesional con el primer equipo" [Luismi will sign a professional contract with the first team] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
12. "Luismi lucirá el '16' de Puerta" [Luismi will don Puerta's '16']. Marca (in Spanish). 30 July 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
13. "El sevillismo, indignado con Fazio por elegir el dorsal 16 de Puerta" [Sevilla faithful, outraged by Fazio for having chosen Puerta's number 16]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 8 February 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
14. Cejas, Antonio (29 June 2016). "Luismi se marcha dos temporadas al Valladolid" [Luismi goes to Valladolid for two years]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 September 2016.
15. "Luismi s'incorpora als entrenaments del Nàstic" [Luismi joins trainings at Nàstic] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 29 December 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
16. Vera, José Antonio (14 January 2017). "Reparto de puntos en Murcia que no sirve a ninguno" [Sharing of points at Murcia does neither team any good]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 March 2017.
17. García, Ramón Julio (3 January 2020). "El centrocampista Luismi, primer refuerzo del Oviedo en el mercado invernal" [Midfielder Luismi, first Oviedo addition in winter market]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2022.
18. "Ocho meses sin Luismi" [Eight months without Luismi] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 11 August 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
19. "Luismi, cedido al Real Oviedo" [Luismi, loaned to Real Oviedo] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
20. "Luismi Sánchez, séptimo fichaje del Elche CF" [Luismi Sánchez, seventh signing of Elche CF] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
21. "Luismi, único jugador de la primera plantilla que no ha disputado un minuto en pretemporada" [Luismi, only first-team player who has not featured one minute in pre-season] (in Spanish). Alicante Plaza. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
22. "El Elche se salvó y recordó a Almirón" [Elche stayed up and remembered Almirón]. Olé (in Spanish). 24 May 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
23. "Luismi, nuevo jugador del Real Oviedo" [Luismi, new player of Real Oviedo] (in Spanish). Real Oviedo. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
24. Gago, Martín (16 April 2024). "La aciaga temporada de Luismi con las lesiones, en datos" [Luismi's injury-related grim season, in numbers] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
25. "Thank You For Everything, Luismi". Real Oviedo. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
26. "Luismi Sánchez, hierarchy and consistency for midfield". Málaga CF. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
27. Luismi at Soccerway
28. Luismi at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
29. Luismi at BDFutbol

External links

• Luismi at BDFutbol
• Luismi at Futbolme (in Spanish)