- Miguel de las Cuevas
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Miguel de las Cuevas 
Personal information Full name Miguel Ángel de las Cuevas Barberá Date of birth 19 June 1986 Place of birth Alicante, Spain Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) Playing position Midfielder Club information Current club Sporting Gijón Number 20 Youth career Agustinos 1993–2000 Kelme 2000–2002 Valencia 2002–2003 Hércules Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2003–2004 Hércules B 2004–2006 Hércules 65 (3) 2006–2009 Atlético Madrid 24 (0) 2009– Sporting Gijón 79 (15) National team 2005 Spain U19 3 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 September 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is De las Cuevas and the second or maternal family name is Barberá.Miguel Ángel de las Cuevas Barberá (born 19 June 1986) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Sporting de Gijón in La Liga.
A versatile midfield element, he can play both in the wings and behind the forwards, but usually occupies the attacking midfielder position.
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Club career
Born in Alicante, Valencian Community, de las Cuevas started his professional career with hometown Hércules CF, in the third division. In the 2004–05 season, he was instrumental as the Valencian outfit achieved promotion to the second level after a six year-absence.
In 2006–07, de las Cuevas signed with Atlético de Madrid. During preseason, on 13 August, in the Teresa Herrera Trophy match versus Nacional de Montevideo, he suffered a serious ankle injury that kept him out of action for more than one year.[1]
On 12 December 2007, de las Cuevas finally made his debut for the Colchoneros, playing the second half in a Spanish Cup away match against Granada 74 CF, in the round of 32. He appeared in 13 La Liga games with the club in his first season after returning from injury, 12 as a substitute.
On 25 June 2009, after producing slightly the same numbers with Atlético, de las Cuevas moved to fellow top level outfit Sporting de Gijón on a four-year deal. However, Atlético retained an option to rebuy in the first three.[2] He had a breakthrough season in 2009–10, ranking second in goals in the team; highlights included braces against RCD Mallorca (4–1[3]), Athletic Bilbao (2–1, away[4]) and one against former side Atlético (1–1), the goal that certified Sporting's permanence in the top flight for a further year, on 8 May 2010.[5]
Still under manager Manuel Preciado, de las Cuevas was again an undisputed starter for Gijón in the 2010–11 season. On 2 April 2011, he scored the only goal of the game in a win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, ending José Mourinho's record of games unbeaten at home (nine years, 150 matches);[6] he only missed one league match and added six goals, in another final escape from relegation.
Club statistics
Season Club Competition Apps Goals Assists 2006/07 Atlético Madrid 
Spanish League0 0 0 2007/08 Atlético Madrid Spanish League13 0 0 2008/09 Atlético Madrid Spanish League11 0 1 2009/10 Sporting Gijón Spanish League37 8 3 Total 61 8 4 References
- ^ Atlético lose new recruits; UEFA.com, 14 August 2006
- ^ El Sporting cierra el fichaje de Miguel de las Cuevas (Sporting closes Miguel de las Cuevas deal); Marca, 25 June 2009 (Spanish)
- ^ Miguel at the double in Sporting win; ESPN Soccernet, 4 October 2009
- ^ Sporting Gijon continue fine form; ESPN Soccernet, 18 October 2009
- ^ Gijon secure top-flight status; ESPN Soccernet, 8 May 2010
- ^ Mourinho home record ended; ESPN Soccernet, 2 April 2011
External links
- Sporting Gijón official profile (Spanish)
- BDFutbol profile
- Futbolme profile (Spanish)
- Transfermarkt profile
Categories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- People from Alicante
- Spanish footballers
- Association football midfielders
- La Liga footballers
- Hércules CF footballers
- Atlético Madrid footballers
- Sporting de Gijón footballers
- Spain youth international footballers
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