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Francisco Pavón

Francisco Pavón
Pavón in 2014
Personal information
Full name Francisco Pavón Barahona[1]
Date of birth (1980-01-09) 9 January 1980 (age 44)[1]
Place of birth Madrid, Spain[1]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Real Madrid C
2000–2001 Real Madrid B 38 (1)
2001–2007 Real Madrid 106 (1)
2007–2010 Zaragoza 43 (5)
2010–2011 Arles-Avignon 26 (0)
Total 213 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Francisco Pavón Barahona (born 9 January 1980) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a centre-back.

His name became associated with the Los Galácticos policy when Real Madrid – where he spent most of his professional career – president Florentino Pérez promised to build a team full of Zidanes and Pavones – expensive high-profile recruits like Zinedine Zidane and youth team graduates like Pavón.[2][3]

Over nine seasons, Pavón amassed La Liga totals of 125 matches and three goals, with his main club and Zaragoza.

Club career

Pavón playing for Zaragoza in 2009

Born in Madrid, Pavón progressed through the ranks at Real Madrid, starting with the junior team Tendillo until he established himself with the reserves.[4] He made his La Liga debut against Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on 6 October 2001 and, shortly after that 2–0 win, signed a seven-year professional contract.[5] He went on to make a further 27 league appearances during the season,[6] adding that campaign's UEFA Champions League.[7]

Pavón totalled 51 league matches in the next two years, scoring a rare goal on 8 May 2004 in a 2–3 home loss to RCD Mallorca.[8] His role would diminish drastically onwards, as he made no league appearances during 2006–07.[9]

On 25 April 2007, media speculation indicated that Pavón was close to agreeing a four-year deal with Premier League club Bolton Wanderers, rejoining former teammate Iván Campo, but nothing came of it.[10] He eventually put pen to paper a four-year contract with Real Zaragoza in July after his release from Real Madrid,[11] but took part in just eight league games through the season as the Aragonese were relegated.[12]

In 2008–09's Segunda División, Pavón netted his first goal for Zaragoza, in a 2–1 home victory over Real Murcia who had also been relegated the previous campaign.[13] He contributed much more consistently as they were immediately promoted.[14]

Pavón was only third or fourth-choice centre-back in the 2009–10 season,[15] but still managed to score twice as Zaragoza retained their status in the division.[16][17] He signed for AC Arles-Avignon on the last day of the 2010 summer transfer window, reuniting with former Real Madrid teammate Álvaro Mejía.[18][19]

In November 2011, Pavón went on trial with West Ham United of the Football League Championship,[20] but failed to convince manager Sam Allardyce of his fitness.[21] After nearly two years without a club – during which he refused to claim unemployment benefits, saying "others need it more"[22]– he chose to retire, aged 33.[21]

Career statistics

Source:[23][24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Madrid B 2000–01 Segunda División B 38 1 38 1
Real Madrid 2000–01 La Liga 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 0 0 1 0
2001–02 La Liga 28 0 7 1 10[b] 0 0 0 45 1
2002–03 La Liga 22 0 6 0 9[b] 0 2[c] 0 39 0
2003–04 La Liga 29 1 3 0 6[b] 0 1[d] 0 39 1
2004–05 La Liga 17 0 3 0 7[b] 1 27 1
2005–06 La Liga 10 0 1 0 3[b] 0 14 0
2006–07 La Liga 0 0 2 0 0[b] 0 2 0
Total 106 1 22 1 36 1 3 0 167 3
Zaragoza 2007–08 La Liga 8 0 1 0 1[e] 0 10 0
2008–09 Segunda División 24 3 1 0 25 3
2009–10 La Liga 11 2 11 2
Total 43 5 2 0 1 0 0 0 46 5
Arles-Avignon 2010–11 Ligue 1 26 0 2 0 28 0
Career Total 213 7 26 1 37 1 3 0 279 9
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Intercontinental Cup
  4. ^ Appearance in Supercopa de España
  5. ^ Appearance in UEFA Cup

Honours

Real Madrid[25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Francisco PAVÓN Barahona". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Marcotti, Gabriele (11 June 2009). "Real Madrid compiling a new galaxy of superstars". The Times. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  3. ^ "'Zidanes y Pavones' sí funciona en el Camp Nou" ['Zidanes and Pavones' does work at the Camp Nou]. El País (in Spanish). 19 November 2004. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  4. ^ Colino, Carmen (7 October 2001). "El sueño de tres chicos de barrio" [The dream of three kids from the neighbourhood]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Real deal for Pavon". BBC Sport. 27 December 2001. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
  6. ^ "Entrevista con Paco Pavón, ex jugador del Real Madrid" [Interview with Paco Pavón, former Real Madrid player] (in Spanish). Interview Motor y Turismo. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Real crowned champions of Europe". BBC Sport. 15 May 2002. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Real Madrid 2–3 Mallorca". ESPN Soccernet. 8 May 2004. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  9. ^ "Pavón: 'Todos sabemos lo que hay, de nada sirve hablar con Capello'" [Pavón: 'We all know the deal, no use talking with Capello']. El Mundo (in Spanish). 27 March 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  10. ^ Sharrock, Gordon (25 April 2007). "Whites chase Madrid star". The Bolton News. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Zaragoza get Pavón and Matuzalem". UEFA. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  12. ^ Giménez, Paco (29 September 2008). "Paco Pavón: "El fracaso del año pasado se nos tragó a todos. También a mí"" [Paco Pavón: "We all choked on last year's failure. I as well"]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  13. ^ "La expulsión de Aquino condenó al Murcia" [Aquino's ejection doomed Murcia]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 28 September 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  14. ^ "¿Qué ha sido de los jugadores del último ascenso del Real Zaragoza?" [What happened to the players of Real Zaragoza's last promotion?] (in Spanish). Espíritu Deportivo. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Un equipo lleno de sombras" [A team covered in shadows]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 3 September 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  16. ^ "Aguilar double downs Getafe". ESPN Soccernet. 27 September 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  17. ^ "Santander snatch a late point". ESPN Soccernet. 18 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  18. ^ Acedo, Diego (7 October 2010). "Pavón y Mejía pagan la novatada del Arles-Avignon" [Pavón and Mejía pay for Arles-Avignon's rookie status]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  19. ^ Damian-Tissot, Stéphane (15 January 2011). "El técnico del Arles, molesto con la actitud de Mejía" [Arles manager, upset by Mejía's attitude]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Hammers weigh up Pavon deal". Sky Sports. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  21. ^ a b France, Sam (5 July 2016). "The legacy of Francisco Pavón, Real Madrid's Anti-Galáctico". Vavel. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  22. ^ "Pavón, exjugador del Real Madrid, renuncia a cobrar el paro" [Pavón, former Real Madrid player, refuses to go on the dole]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 13 October 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  23. ^ Francisco Pavón at BDFutbol
  24. ^ Francisco Pavón at Soccerway
  25. ^ "Símbolo de una generación de canteranos" [Symbol of a generation of youth players] (in Spanish). Real Madrid CF. Retrieved 9 April 2019.