Lucas Martín Villafáñez ([biʝaˈfaɲes]; born 4 October 1991) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Greek Super League club Volos.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lucas Martín Villafáñez | ||
| Date of birth | 4 October 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Volos | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002-2008 | CAI | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2010 | CAI | 55 | (11) |
| 2010–2011 | → Independiente (loan) | 8 | (2) |
| 2011–2016 | Independiente | 23 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Huracán (loan) | 20 | (2) |
| 2014–2016 | → Panetolikos (loan) | 38 | (11) |
| 2016–2018 | Panathinaikos | 63 | (9) |
| 2018–2019 | Alanyaspor | 47 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | Morelia | 16 | (2) |
| 2020–2022 | Panathinaikos | 52 | (3) |
| 2022–2024 | APOEL | 45 | (4) |
| 2024– | Volos | 10 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2011 | Argentina U20 | 1 | (1) |
| 2011 | Argentina U22 | 5 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 November 2024 | |||
Club career
editVillafáñez made his professional debut in the Primera B Nacional with his hometown club Comisión de Actividades Infantiles, when he was 16 years old. In total he played 57 games with the club, scoring 12 goals.[citation needed]
In 2010, Independiente acquired the player on a one-year loan deal. He debuted in the Argentine Primera División on a 0–1 defeat to Tigre for the 2010 Apertura, despite the game being played in February 2011.[1]
On 2 May 2011, Villafáñez scored his first goal with Independiente, in a 1–1 draw with Boca Juniors.[2]
In summer 2013, the hitch that had a contract until June 2014 and would not be taken into account by Miguel Angel Brindisi was asked by Antonio Mohamed after his arrival in Huracán F.C. and eventually would be signing with the "Globe". After several days of negotiation and obstacles, it was finally decided that Villafáñez would go on loan to Huracán F.C. for the 2013–14 season.[3][4] On 1 August 2014, Villafáñez signed a two-year contract with Greek Super League side Panetolikos on loan from Independiente,[5] along with his former Independiente teammates Fernando Godoy and Nicolás Martinez.[6]
In December 2015, Villafáñez was linked with a move to AEK Athens.[7] On 24 January 2016, he scored with a close-range effort at the beginning of a match against Veria which Panetolikos won 1–0 and scooped its first away victory since August 2015.[8]
Panathinaikos
editOn 27 January 2016, Panathinaikos bought the Villafáñez's playing rights from Independiente, so from the summer of 2016, he would have belonged to the "Greens". Panetolikos, however, wanted to make a profit form the player's transfer and gave him to Panathinaikos from 1 February.[9] On 6 March 2016, he scored his first goal with the club in a 2–0 home win against Atromitos.[10] On 28 October 2017, thanks to a close-range effort by the Argentinian attacking midfielder, Panathinaikos won 1–0 at Super League derby clash against champions Olympiacos.[11] On 7 January 2018, Marinos Ouzounidis’ team, which had last tasted victory in the Super League back on 28 October with a 1–0 derby win over Olympiacos, finally stopped the rot in the first game of 2018 thanks to a pair of penalties from Villafáñez in a 2–0 win home game against Platanias.[12]
On 14 January 2018, with Panathinaikos in financial difficulties, French website "Foot Mercato" reported Villafáñez had been offered to three Ligue 1 clubs, namely Nantes, Saint-Étienne and Toulouse for the January transfer window on a loan basis till the end of the season with a purchase option in the range of €2 million for the summer of 2018.[13]
Villafáñez left the club having 73 appearances (10 goals, 13 assists) in all competitions.
Alanyaspor
editOn 23 January 2018, Turkish club Alanyaspor initially offered an €800,000 transfer fee to Panathinaikos for Villafáñez. The transfer offer involved two Greek internationals, Giorgos Tzavellas and Giannis Maniatis.[14] According to various sources, the transfer could be set in the range of €1.1 million, with Villafáñez agreeing to a 2.5-year contract, with annual earnings levelled to €800,000 per year.[15] After three days of negotiations, Panathinaikos agreed with Alanyaspor for a total transfer amount of €1.2 million. The financial struggling Greens will receive a net amount of €900,000, as Villafáñez ex-club Panetolikos retained a 10% resale rate, while from the total transfer amount Panathinaikos will cover his debt both to the player's rights from Independiente and his annual delayed salary.[16][17] On 27 January 2018, two days after his arrival, he made his debut with the club as a starter in a 3–1 home win game against Alanyaspor. On 18 May 2018, in the last matchday of the season he scored his first goal with the club in a 3–2 home win game against Antalyaspor.
Morelia
editOn 3 July 2019, Monarcas Morelia presented Villafáñez as their new player.[18]
Return to Panathinaikos
editIn July 2020, Villafáñez returned to the Greek giants Panathinaikos F.C. with a two-year deal from Monarcas Morelia.
International career
editVillafáñez was part of Sergio Batista's Argentina U20 in 2010. In 2011, he was selected to represent Argentina at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Villafanez also is of partial-Greek descent, expressed his desire to play for Greece, through his maternal great-grandfather, who was born in Piraeus.[19] In 2014, Villafáñez started the procedure in order to claim the Greek citizenship. In December 2017, he was in the final stages for acquiring the citizenship and was to be available for the national team.
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of 7 April 2024[20]
| Club performance | League | National Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| CAI | 2008-09 | Primera B Nacional | 25 | 4 | — | — | 25 | 4 | ||
| 2009-10 | 30 | 7 | — | — | 30 | 7 | ||||
| Total | 55 | 11 | — | — | 55 | 11 | ||||
| Independiente (loan) | 2010-11 | Argentine Primera División | 8 | 2 | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| Independiente | 2011-12 | Argentine Primera División | 13 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| 2012-13 | 10 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 4[b] | 1 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Total | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 1 | ||
| Huracán (loan) | 2013-14 | Primera B Nacional | 20 | 2 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 21 | 2 | |
| Panetolikos (loan) | 2014-15 | Super League Greece | 19 | 6 | — | — | 19 | 6 | ||
| 2015-16 | 19 | 5 | 2[c] | 1 | — | 21 | 6 | |||
| Total | 38 | 11 | 2 | 1 | — | 40 | 12 | |||
| Panathinaikos | 2015-16 | Super League Greece | 11 | 2 | 1[c] | 0 | — | 12 | 2 | |
| 2016-17 | 30 | 2 | 7[c] | 1 | 9[d] | 0 | 46 | 3 | ||
| 2017-18 | 12 | 5 | 3[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 5 | ||
| Total | 53 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 73 | 10 | ||
| Alanyaspor | 2017-18 | Süper Lig | 15 | 1 | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| 2018-19 | 32 | 0 | 4[e] | 5 | — | 36 | 5 | |||
| Total | 47 | 1 | 4 | 5 | — | 51 | 6 | |||
| Morelia | 2019-20 | Liga MX | 16 | 2 | 6[f] | 1 | — | 22 | 3 | |
| Panathinaikos | 2020-21 | Super League Greece | 26 | 2 | 2[c] | 0 | — | 28 | 2 | |
| 2021-22 | 26 | 1 | 7[c] | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | |||
| Total | 52 | 3 | 9 | 0 | — | 61 | 3 | |||
| APOEL | 2022-23 | Cyta Championship | 18 | 0 | 1[g] | 0 | 4[h] | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 27 | 4 | 1[g] | 0 | 6[h] | 0 | 34 | 4 | ||
| Total | 45 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 57 | 4 | ||
| Career Total | 357 | 45 | 37 | 8 | 23 | 1 | 417 | 54 | ||
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in Copa Argentina
- ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
- ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in Greek Cup
- ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearance(s) in Turkish Cup
- ^ Appearance(s) in Copa MX
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in Cypriot Cup
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
editPanathinaikos
References
edit- ^ "Opening '10 statistics". Argentine Soccer. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ "Boca igualó con Independiente y ambos siguen lejos" (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ "Lucas Villafáñez se va a Huracán" (in Spanish). elrojoesmipasion.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ "Lucas Villafañez nuevo jugador de Huracán" (in Spanish). cahuracan.com. 2 August 2013. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ ΜΠΑΜ με Βιγιαφάνιες ο Παναιτωλικός (in Greek). allsportsagrinio.gr. 31 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ "LOS ARGENTINOS PARRA Y VILLAFAÑEZ SE SUMAN AL FUTBOL GRIEGO" (in Spanish). elcomercial.com.ar. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ "AEK monitoring Villafanez". www.sdna.gr. 10 December 2015.
- ^ "Panaitolikos leave Veria victorious". www.sdna.gr. 24 January 2016.
- ^ "Κωστούλας: Τα βρήκε με Ιντεπεντιέντε ο Παναθηναϊκός για Βιγιαφάνιες-Panathinaikos agreed with Independiente for Villafañez". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ "Panathinaikos beat Atromitos at Leto's return". www.sdna.gr. 6 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ "Με Βιγιαφάνιες ο Παναθηναϊκός 1-0 τον Ολυμπιακό". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ "Παναθηναϊκός - Πλατανιάς 2-0". www.gazzetta.gr. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Προτάθηκε σε Ναντ, Σεντ-Ετιέν και Τουλούζ ο Βιγιαφάνιες". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ^ "ALANYASPOR, 10 NUMARA TRANSFERİ YAPIYOR! HASAN ÇAVUŞOĞLU AÇIKLADI". turkfutbol.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- ^ "Ετοιμάζει βαλίτσες ο Βιγιαφάνιες". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "Οριστικό: με 1,2 εκατ. ευρώ στην Αλάνιασπορ ο Βιγιαφάνιες". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
- ^ "Villafanez, Aytemiz Alanyaspor'da". www.hurriyet.com.tr. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ^ Lucas Villafañez llega a Monarcas Morelia, mimorelia.com, 3 July 2019
- ^ "Villafanez: "I am dreaming of playing for Greece National Team"". www.sdna.gr. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ^ "L. VILLAFÁÑEZ". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ Georgakopoulos, George (22 May 2022). "Panathinaikos ends eight-year trophy drought lifting the Greek Cup". Ekathimerini. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
External links
edit- Lucas Villafáñez at Soccerway
- Argentine Primera statistics at Fútbol XXI at the Wayback Machine (archived 4 September 2012) (in Spanish)