Arzu
Arzu in 2008
Personal information
Full name Arturo García Muñoz
Date of birth (1981-03-17) 17 March 1981
Place of birth Dos Hermanas, Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Youth career
Betis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 Betis B 33 (4)
2000–2011 Betis 270 (12)
2001–2002 → Córdoba (loan) 22 (1)
2011–2012 Gimnàstic 29 (0)
2012–2013 BEC Tero Sasana 16 (2)
Total 370 (19)
International career
2001 Spain U20 1 (0)
2002–2003 Spain U21 10 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arturo García Muñoz (born 17 March 1981), known as Arzu, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder or a central defender.

He spent most of his career with Betis, appearing in 200 La Liga games in seven seasons (11 years with the club, 317 competitive matches) and winning the 2005 Copa del Rey.[1]

Club career

Betis

A product of Andalusian club Real Betis's youth system, Arzu was born in Dos Hermanas, Province of Seville, and he played for its B team during the 1999–2000 season, in the Segunda División B. In the following campaign, he made his debut with the main squad, helping them to achieve promotion from Segunda División with 16 matches and two goals but subsequently staying in that level, being loaned to neighbours Córdoba CF.[2]

In his first season in La Liga, Arzu scored four times from 35 appearances, including one in the 4–2 away win against Deportivo de La Coruña on 1 September 2002 to open the league.[3] He totalled a further 60 games from 2003 to 2005, as Betis finished ninth and fourth respectively.[4][5]

Arzu appeared in eight European matches in the 2005–06 campaign: four in the UEFA Champions League (scoring against Liverpool in a 2–1 group-stage home loss)[6] and four in the UEFA Cup. On 13 May 2006, his 75th-minute equaliser in the 1–1 draw at Atlético Madrid in the last matchday proved crucial as the Verdiblancos barely avoided relegation.[7]

Still a defensive cornerstone in 2008–09, Arzu made 34 appearances – mostly as a centre-back[8]– but Betis were relegated for the first time in eight years.[9][10] In August 2011, after only taking part in 17 games as the side returned to the top flight, he was released from his contract.[11]

Later career

In the penultimate day of the 2011 summer transfer window, Arzu signed with second-tier Gimnàstic de Tarragona.[12] The following 7 May, he terminated his contract with the Catalans (who suffered relegation) by mutual consent.[13]

In August 2012, aged 31, Arzu moved abroad for the first time, joining Thai Premier League club BEC Tero Sasana FC.[14][15]

Honours

Betis

References

  1. ↑ Los retos de Joaquín (Joaquín's challenges); Estadio Deportivo, 27 November 2016 (in Spanish)
  2. ↑ La pesadilla cordobesa de Arzu (Arzu's Córdoba nightmare); El Día de Córdoba, 29 January 2010 (in Spanish)
  3. ↑ El Betis arrolla al Depor con un fútbol de lujo (Betis crush Depor with deluxe football); El Mundo, 1 September 2002 (in Spanish)
  4. ↑ Víctor Fernández vuelve al Betis (Víctor Fernández returns to Betis); RTVE, 26 January 2010 (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Un sprint de 12 jornadas (12-match sprint); Diario de Sevilla, 22 March 2023 (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Real Betis 1–2 Liverpool; BBC Sport, 13 September 2005
  7. ↑ El Atlético despide la temporada con un justo empate ante el Betis (Atlético bid farewell to season with fair draw against Betis); Marca, 13 May 2006 (in Spanish)
  8. ↑ Arzu: "De pequeño jugaba de mediapunta y ahora de central" (Arzu: "I played attacking midfielder when I was a kid and now as a stopper"); ABC, 10 November 2008 (in Spanish)
  9. ↑ El Betis desciende a Segunda (Betis relegated to Segunda); El Mundo, 31 May 2009 (in Spanish)
  10. ↑ El representante de Arzu dice que el jugador "no puede ni debe seguir" (Arzu's agent says the player "cannot and must not continue); Marca, 18 June 2009 (in Spanish)
  11. ↑ Miguel Guillén: “Arzu ha rescindido contrato con el Betis” (Miguel Guillén: "Arzu has terminated the contract with Betis"); ABC, 24 August 2011 (in Spanish)
  12. ↑ Arzu dará experiencia a la medular del Nàstic (Arzu to provide experience in Nàstic's back sector); Marca, 30 August 2011 (in Spanish)
  13. ↑ El Nàstic rescinde el contrato de Arzu (Nàstic terminate Arzu's contract); Marca, 7 May 2012 (in Spanish)
  14. ↑ El fichaje de Arzu por el Bec-Tero tailandés, a punto (Arzu signing for Thailand's Bec-Tero, just about done); ABC, 22 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  15. ↑ Arzu, otro más que vuelve para enseñar lo aprendido (Arzu, another one returns to teach what he has learned); Estadio Deportivo, 20 August 2014 (in Spanish)
  16. ↑ El Betis levanta la Copa (Betis lift Cup); Última Hora, 12 June 2005 (in Spanish)
  17. ↑ El Betis se despide de Segunda desde lo más alto de la tabla (Betis say goodbye to Segunda from the top of the table); El Mundo, 4 June 2011 (in Spanish)
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