Number 21 Weight 66 kg 1999–2007 Braganca Career start 2007 | Name Luis Fernandes Role Portuguese footballer Height 1.72 m | |
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Full name Luis Miguel Afonso Fernandes Date of birth (1989-10-06) 6 October 1989 (age 26) Current teams Similar People Luisao, Andreas Samaris, Lisandro Lopez, Custodio Castro, Lisandro Ezequiel Lopez | ||
Playing position | ||
Pizzi portuguese footballer
Luís Miguel Afonso Fernandes (born 6 October 1989), known as Pizzi, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Benfica as a central midfielder.
Contents
- Pizzi portuguese footballer
- Early years Braga
- Spain
- Benfica
- International career
- Club
- International
- International goals
- Individual
- References
Early years / Braga
In 2010–11, Pizzi scored seven league goals for Paços, only missing three league matches. On 8 May 2011 he netted a hat-trick in a 3–3 draw at Porto, which turned out to be the only home league game that the eventual champions failed to win during the season.
Spain
On 30 August 2011 Pizzi moved to Spanish team Atlético Madrid, on loan until the end of the year, after which the Colchoneros had an option to buy the player permanently for €13.5 million, which they did in October of the following year. He made his La Liga debut on 18 September 2011, replacing also newly signed Radamel Falcao midway through the second half of a 4–0 home win against Racing de Santander.
Along with several compatriots, initially still under contract with Braga, Pizzi moved to Deportivo de La Coruña for the 2012–13 campaign. In only his second appearance, through a penalty kick, he helped the Galicians come back from 1–3 at Valencia CF for a final 3–3 draw, scoring his team's last goal; he added a brace against FC Barcelona on 20 October 2012 – one of the goals coming through a superbly-taken free kick – but his team lost 4–5 at the Riazor Stadium.
On 26 July 2013 Pizzi signed a six-year contract with S.L. Benfica, for a fee of €6 million for half of his economic rights, being immediately loaned to RCD Espanyol also in Spain's top flight.
Benfica
In the 2014–15 season, Pizzi joined Portuguese champions Benfica and was converted from winger to central midfielder, like his predecessor Enzo Pérez. On 5 October 2014, Pizzi debuted in a 4–0 win against Arouca in Primeira Liga. On 14 January 2015, Pizzi scored his first goal for Benfica, from a penalty kick, in another 4–0 home win against Arouca, this time in the third round of league cup. On 28 February, Pizzi scored his first goal for Benfica in the league, in the thrashing of Estoril (6–0).
International career
Pizzi made his debut for Portugal on 14 November 2012 in a friendly with Gabon, scoring through a penalty in an eventual 2–2 draw in Libreville.