JOSEMI
PRE-ISL
Born in Torremolinos, Málaga, Josemi started his professional career at Málaga CF, arriving from local amateurs Torremolinos Club de Fútbol in 1998. After three years in the B-team, Josemi made his debut in La Liga in 2001. Josemi went on to become an essential defensive element for Málaga, helping it to the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup and soon attracting interest from bigger European teams.
Subsequently, Josemi became Rafael Benítez's first signing as Liverpool manager, for £2 million in the summer of 2004. He played 15 games in the Premier League in his debut season and was a part of the team that won the Champions League final against AC Milan.
In 2006 Josemi returned to Spain and Villareal after only seven appearances for Liverpool 2005-06. He made a good start and appeared in 22 league matches in 2006–07, but only took part in only one the following season for the eventual La Liga runners-up.
A stint with Mallorca 2008-10 followed before heading to Greece and Iraklis. Except for a one season-return to Spain in the Segunda Division Josemi played in different Greece clubs up until 2014 - the latest one being Skoda Xanthi in 2013-14.
ISL
2014 Season
On August 21, 2014, Josemi was a picked in the third-round draft for Atlético de Kolkata in the
inaugural draft of the Indian Super League. Upon signing for Kolkata, Josemi became one of
four Spaniards as well as being reunited with his former Liverpool-team mate Luis Garcia.
Josemi became the second most expensive player from the international draft with a price of
42, 5 lakh.
Josemi became a defensive rock for Kolkata and a mentor for Arnab Mondal and Kingshuk
Debnath. Mondal described Josemi as "Josemi taught me a lot of things. Whenever he told me
anything, I always listened very carefully, so that I could implement the skills on the ground
when needed."
As the season started Josemi and Arnab Mondal formed a defensive partnership that was described as one of the best in the league. Josemi was also the only player in Atletico de Kolkata to play all 17 games in the season. He captained the matches Luis Garcia didn't, including the final against Kerala Blasters. Josemi was awarded "the Fittest Player of the Match" during the final.
2015 Season
After having been without a club since the end of the first ISL-season, Josemi was retained by Atletico de Kolkata on June 12, 2015. Head coach Antonio Lopez Habas described the reason as "his performance in the last season helped us immensely in the defence and I feel he will continue to prove that determination to perform in the next season as well. His contributions will be essential without any doubt."
PLAYING CAREER
98-04
Malaga
04-06
Liverpool
06-08
Villareal
08-10
Mallorca
10-11
Iraklis
11-12
Cartagena
12-13 Levadiakos
13-14 Skoda Xanthi
2014- Atletico de Kolkata
ATLETICO KOLKATA STATS
GAMES PLAYED: 17 FIRST MATCH: October 12, 2014 - Mumbai City
Starting XI: 17 LAST MATCH: December 20, 2014 - Kerala Blasters
Substituted: 0
MINUTES PLAYED: 1560
GOALS: 0
ASSISTS: 0
SHOTS: 4
Shots on goal: 1
Shots off target: 3
FOULS COMMITTED: 13 (0, 76 fouls/match)
CARDS: 4
= 4
= 0
QUOTES & INTERVIEWS
No available interviews.
