David Barral
Encyclopedia
David Barral Torres is a Spanish
footballer who plays for Sporting de Gijón
in La Liga
, as a striker.
, Barral started playing professionally in the lower divisions, with Real Madrid
's B
and C teams
, with a loan stint at CF Fuenlabrada
in between.
In 2006–07, he moved to Sporting de Gijón
where, during his second season, he formed a formidable offensive partnership with Croatia
n Mate Bilić
(arrived in January 2008), to help return the Asturias
side to La Liga
after a 10-year absence.
Barral scored his first top flight goal on October 26, 2008, from a penalty
in a 3–0 win at Deportivo de La Coruña
. During the season, he again paired up with Bilić for 22 league goals, and netted a crucial in the season's closer, a 2–1 home win against Recreativo de Huelva
, as Sporting eventually avoided relegation.
On 20 March 2010, Barral found the net against former club Real Madrid; he beat the offside trap and cut inside from the right hand, before firing past Iker Casillas
for the game's first; the hosts, however, turned the score around for a final 3–1 win.
In the 2010–11 season
, Barral continued to battle with Bilić for first-choice status, with Sporting also having acquired Gastón Sangoy
- coach
Manuel Preciado often fielded only one striker. On 15 January 2011, in the 19th round, he opened his account, at home against Hércules CF
(2–0); in the following league game, also at El Molinón
, he also found the net, for the game's only goal against Atlético Madrid and, the following month (12 February), helped his team to a 1–1 home draw against FC Barcelona
, after a fine individual effort early in the first half.
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...
footballer who plays for Sporting de Gijón
Sporting de Gijón
Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club from Gijón, Asturias. Founded in 1 June 1905, it currently plays in Spanish first division....
in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, as a striker.
Football career
Born in San Fernando, Cádiz, AndalusiaAndalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Barral started playing professionally in the lower divisions, with Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
's B
Real Madrid Castilla
Real Madrid Castilla is a Spanish football team that plays in the Segunda División B. It is the reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium....
and C teams
Real Madrid C
Real Madrid C is a Spanish association football team that plays in the Tercera División. It is the second reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at La Ciudad del Real Madrid in Valdebebas outside the city of Madrid...
, with a loan stint at CF Fuenlabrada
CF Fuenlabrada
Club de Fútbol Fuenlabrada, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Fuenlabrada, in the autonomous community of Madrid. Founded in 1975, it plays in Tercera División - Group 7, holding home matches at Estadio Fernando Torres, with a capacity of 5,000 seats.-Season to season:----*12 seasons in...
in between.
In 2006–07, he moved to Sporting de Gijón
Sporting de Gijón
Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club from Gijón, Asturias. Founded in 1 June 1905, it currently plays in Spanish first division....
where, during his second season, he formed a formidable offensive partnership with Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n Mate Bilić
Mate Bilic
Mate Bilić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Sporting de Gijón in La Liga, as a striker.During his professional career, he played mainly in Spain - where he arrived at the age of 21 - representing five different clubs....
(arrived in January 2008), to help return the Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
side to La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
after a 10-year absence.
Barral scored his first top flight goal on October 26, 2008, from a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
in a 3–0 win at Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
. During the season, he again paired up with Bilić for 22 league goals, and netted a crucial in the season's closer, a 2–1 home win against Recreativo de Huelva
Recreativo de Huelva
Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 23 December 1889, it is the oldest football team in Spain, and currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estadio Nuevo Colombino, which has a...
, as Sporting eventually avoided relegation.
On 20 March 2010, Barral found the net against former club Real Madrid; he beat the offside trap and cut inside from the right hand, before firing past Iker Casillas
Íker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both...
for the game's first; the hosts, however, turned the score around for a final 3–1 win.
In the 2010–11 season
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
, Barral continued to battle with Bilić for first-choice status, with Sporting also having acquired Gastón Sangoy
Gastón Sangoy
Gastón Sangoy is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Sporting de Gijón, in the Spanish first division, as a striker.-Career:...
- coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Manuel Preciado often fielded only one striker. On 15 January 2011, in the 19th round, he opened his account, at home against Hércules CF
Hércules CF
Hércules Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Alicante, in the autonomous community of Valencia. Founded in 1922, it currently plays in the Spanish second division, and holds home games at the Estadio José Rico Pérez, which seats 30,000 spectators.-History:After first...
(2–0); in the following league game, also at El Molinón
El Molinón
Estadio El Molinón is an association football stadium in Gijón, Asturias-Spain. The stadium is the home ground of Sporting de Gijón.The stadium's address is Parque de Isabel la Católica, 33390 Gijón.-History:...
, he also found the net, for the game's only goal against Atlético Madrid and, the following month (12 February), helped his team to a 1–1 home draw against FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, after a fine individual effort early in the first half.