Cristian Llama
Encyclopedia
Cristian Ezequiel Llama is an Argentine
football
midfielder currently playing for Calcio Catania
in the Italian Serie A.
in 2004, with Arsenal de Sarandí
. In his first season with the club, Llama made 16 appearances and scored 2 goals. In his second season with the Argentine club, Llama would go on to make an additional 19 appearances, however the player really thrived in his third season, where he made 23 league starts and managed 4 goals. His impressive displays caught the eyes of numerous Europe
an clubs, most notably from Italy
, Spain
, and Switzerland
.
an transfer, joining Italian Serie A side, Calcio Catania
. The player found playing time hard to come by in his first season at the club, due to the presences of wingers Juan Manuel Vargas
, Jorge Andres Martinez
, Mariano Izco
, and Giacomo Tedesco
. After 4 months in Sicily
, the player made just 1 appearances, and hence was loaned out to Newell's Old Boys
, for the second portion of the 2007–2008 season, in time for the Argentine Clausura. The loan move was not successful however, and Llama was limited to just 3 appearances, due to injury. After six months in Argentina
he was brought back to Calcio Catania
under new coach Walter Zenga
. In his first full season at Catania
, Llama was often regularly featured in Zenga's plans, and made over 20 appearances in all competitions. He was also a regular during the 2009–10 season, under coaches Gianluca Atzori
and, later, Siniša Mihajlović
, on the left wing, until a major leg injury struck in March 2010. Prior to the injury, Llama had made 23 league starts scoring 2 goals, and was the "in-form" player following Mihajlovic's appointment as head coach on December 8, 2009. His return was not complete until December 2010, and since then the player has gradually re-inserted himself back into the club's starting XI, and helping the club to a third consecutive season ending with a record points tally in Serie A
.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
midfielder currently playing for Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania is an Italian football club founded in 1908 and based in Catania, Sicily. The club has spent much of its history in Serie B, gaining promotion to Italy's top league Serie A five times...
in the Italian Serie A.
Arsenal de Sarandí
Llama began his professional career in his home country of ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in 2004, with Arsenal de Sarandí
Arsenal de Sarandí
Arsenal Fútbol Club, usually referred as Arsenal de Sarandí, is a football club from the Sarandí neighbourhood in the city of Avellaneda, Argentina, which was founded in 1957 by the Grondona brothers. Arsenal currently plays in the top tier of Argentine football, the Primera División Argentina....
. In his first season with the club, Llama made 16 appearances and scored 2 goals. In his second season with the Argentine club, Llama would go on to make an additional 19 appearances, however the player really thrived in his third season, where he made 23 league starts and managed 4 goals. His impressive displays caught the eyes of numerous Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an clubs, most notably from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Calcio Catania
In June 2007, the young Argentine completed his EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an transfer, joining Italian Serie A side, Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania is an Italian football club founded in 1908 and based in Catania, Sicily. The club has spent much of its history in Serie B, gaining promotion to Italy's top league Serie A five times...
. The player found playing time hard to come by in his first season at the club, due to the presences of wingers Juan Manuel Vargas
Juan Manuel Vargas
Juan Manuel Vargas Risco , is a Peruvian footballer who plays as a wing-back for Italian Serie A club A.C.F. Fiorentina, and the Peru national team and is currently the team's captain...
, Jorge Andres Martinez
Jorge Andrés Martínez
Jorge Andrés Martínez Barrios is a Uruguayan footballer who currently plays for Cesena in the Italian Serie A.-Montevideo Wanderers F.C.:...
, Mariano Izco
Mariano Julio Izco
Mariano Julio Izco , is an Argentine football midfielder who currently plays for Calcio Catania in the Italian Serie A. He also holds an Italian passport.-CA San Telmo:...
, and Giacomo Tedesco
Giacomo Tedesco
Giacomo Tedesco is an Italian football midfielder who currently plays for Trapani Calcio.-Club career:...
. After 4 months in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, the player made just 1 appearances, and hence was loaned out to Newell's Old Boys
Newell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...
, for the second portion of the 2007–2008 season, in time for the Argentine Clausura. The loan move was not successful however, and Llama was limited to just 3 appearances, due to injury. After six months in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
he was brought back to Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania is an Italian football club founded in 1908 and based in Catania, Sicily. The club has spent much of its history in Serie B, gaining promotion to Italy's top league Serie A five times...
under new coach Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga is a retired Italian footballer and current manager. He is a long-time goalkeeper for the Italian national team and Internazionale. He also holds Romanian citizenship...
. In his first full season at Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, Llama was often regularly featured in Zenga's plans, and made over 20 appearances in all competitions. He was also a regular during the 2009–10 season, under coaches Gianluca Atzori
Gianluca Atzori
Gianluca Atzori is an Italian football manager and former player. He last served as head coach of Serie B outfit Sampdoria.-Playing:...
and, later, Siniša Mihajlović
Siniša Mihajlovic
Siniša Mihajlović is a Serbian football manager and former player. He was in charge of Serie A club Fiorentina since June 2010 to November 2011....
, on the left wing, until a major leg injury struck in March 2010. Prior to the injury, Llama had made 23 league starts scoring 2 goals, and was the "in-form" player following Mihajlovic's appointment as head coach on December 8, 2009. His return was not complete until December 2010, and since then the player has gradually re-inserted himself back into the club's starting XI, and helping the club to a third consecutive season ending with a record points tally in Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
.