Name Jose Catala Current team Racing de Ferrol 2004–2007 Valencia B Weight 72 kg | Years Team Height 1.82 m Playing position Role Footballer | |
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Full name Jose Manuel Catala Mazuecos Date of birth (1985-01-01) 1 January 1985 (age 30) | ||
Place of birth Villajoyosa, Spain | ||
José Manuel Catalá Mazuecos (born 1 January 1985) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Racing de Ferrol as a central defender or a left back.
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Football career
Born in Villajoyosa, Alicante, Valencian Community, Catalá emerged through local Valencia CF's youth ranks, making his senior debuts in Segunda División B, where he successively represented hometown's Villajoyosa CF, Valencia CF Mestalla and Alicante CF, helping the latter promote to Segunda División in 2008.
After suffering immediate relegation with Alicante, he continued in that level with Villarreal CF's B-team, being instrumental (2,444 minutes) as they retained their league status in its first-ever year in the category.
Catalá was promoted to the first team for the 2010–11 season, aged already 25. He managed to provide stiff competition to veteran Joan Capdevila, inclusively relegating the European and World Champion to the bench in some matches. He finished his first year in La Liga with 30 official games to his credit – 16 in the league, five in the Copa del Rey and nine in a semi-final run in the UEFA Europa League – opening the score on 3 January 2011 in a 2–0 home win against UD Almería, as the side eventually finished fourth and qualified to the UEFA Champions League.
After leaving the Yellow Submarine, Catalá only appeared in 27 matches in two seasons combined for Real Murcia and Apollon Limassol, the latter in the Cypriot First Division. On 8 August 2014 he changed clubs and countries again, joining Veria F.C. in the Superleague Greece.
Catalá made his debut for his new team on 24 August 2014, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–2 home win against Skoda Xanthi FC. His first start occurred against Ergotelis FC, his two mistakes resulting in both of the opposition's goals in an eventual 2–2 away draw.
After failing to perform overall, Catalá and club agreed to mutually terminate the player's contract on 26 May 2015.