Arturo García
Encyclopedia
Arturo García Muñoz, aka Arzu (born 17 March 1981 in Dos Hermanas
, Seville), is a Spanish
footballer who plays for Gimnàstic de Tarragona
in Segunda División
, as a defensive midfielder or central defender.
He spent most of his professional career with Betis
, appearing in 200 La Liga
games over the course of seven seasons (12 years with the club overall), and winning one Copa del Rey
.
outfit Real Betis
's youth system, Arzu played for its B team
during the 1999–2000 season, scoring two goals in 19 league matches. In 2000–01, he made his debuts with the main side, who was then playing in the second division
(16 matches, two goals). Betis achieved promotion, but Arzu stayed in the category, being loaned to neighbours Córdoba CF
.
In his first season in La Liga
, Arzu netted four goals in 35 matches, including one in the opener, away to Deportivo de La Coruña
, on 1 September 2002 (4–2 win). He added a further 60 league appearances in the following two years, as in 2004–05
Betis finished fourth.
During 2005–06
, Arzu appeared in eight European
matches: four in the UEFA Champions League
(netting against Liverpool
in a 1–2 group stage home loss) and in the UEFA Cup. On 13 May 2006, he scored a crucial equalizer at Atlético de Madrid (1–1 draw) on the last matchday, as Betis barely avoided relegation.
Still a defensive cornerstone in 2008–09, Arzu featured in 34 matches scoring twice - mostly as a centre back - but Betis was relegated for the first time in nine years. In August 2011, after only appearing in 17 games as the Verdiblancos returned to the top level
, he was released from his contract.
In the penultimate day of the summer transfer window
, Arzu signed with Gimnàstic de Tarragona
in the second division.
Dos Hermanas
Dos Hermanas is a Spanish city south of Seville in Andalusia, with a population of 125,086 as of 2010.The city's name, which means "two sisters", dates from its founding in 1248 by King Ferdinand III of Castile and honours the sisters of Gonzalo Nazareno, one of the king's principal military...
, Seville), is a Spanish
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 Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División....
in Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, as a defensive midfielder or central defender.
He spent most of his professional career with Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
, appearing in 200 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...
games over the course of seven seasons (12 years with the club overall), and winning one Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
.
Club career
A product of 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...
outfit Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
's youth system, Arzu played for its B team
Real Betis B
Real Betis B is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1963, it is the reserve team of Real Betis, and currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 4, holding home games at Ciudad Deportiva, with a capacity for 4,000 spectators.Unlike the...
during the 1999–2000 season, scoring two goals in 19 league matches. In 2000–01, he made his debuts with the main side, who was then playing in the second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
(16 matches, two goals). Betis achieved promotion, but Arzu stayed in the category, being loaned to neighbours Córdoba CF
Córdoba CF
Córdoba Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Córdoba, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1954, it plays in Segunda División, holding home matches at Estadio Nuevo Arcángel, with a capacity of 18,280 seats....
.
In his first season 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...
, Arzu netted four goals in 35 matches, including one in the opener, away to 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...
, on 1 September 2002 (4–2 win). He added a further 60 league appearances in the following two years, as in 2004–05
2004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
Betis finished fourth.
During 2005–06
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
, Arzu appeared in eight European
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
matches: four in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
(netting against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in a 1–2 group stage home loss) and in the UEFA Cup. On 13 May 2006, he scored a crucial equalizer at Atlético de Madrid (1–1 draw) on the last matchday, as Betis barely avoided relegation.
Still a defensive cornerstone in 2008–09, Arzu featured in 34 matches scoring twice - mostly as a centre back - but Betis was relegated for the first time in nine years. In August 2011, after only appearing in 17 games as the Verdiblancos returned to the top level
2010–11 Segunda División
-Personnel and sponsorship:-Managerial changes:-League table:||style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=11 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|-Positions by round:Source: -Results:...
, he was released from his contract.
In the penultimate day of the summer transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, Arzu signed with Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División....
in the second division.