Ignasi Miquel

This is a Catalan name. The paternal family name is Miquel and the maternal family name is Pons.
Ignasi Miquel

Miquel playing for Arsenal in 2011
Personal information
Full name Ignasi Miquel Pons
Date of birth (1992-09-28) 28 September 1992
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
Lugo
Number 20
Youth career
1999–2004 Barcelona
2004–2008 Cornellà
2008–2010 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2014 Arsenal 5 (0)
2013–2014Leicester City (loan) 7 (0)
2014–2015 Norwich City 0 (0)
2015–2016 Ponferradina 25 (0)
2016– Lugo 0 (0)
National team
2008 Spain U16 2 (0)
2011 Spain U19 9 (1)
2013 Spain U21 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:10, 12 January 2016 (UTC).


Ignasi Miquel Pons (born 28 September 1992) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CD Lugo. Mainly a centre-back, he can also be utilized at left-back.

Miquel is a Spanish youth international and has played for the under-21 team, under-19 team and under-16 team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Miquel spent five years at La Masia academy before being released. Miquel transferred to UE Cornellà but it wasn't long before Miquel was playing for the club's reserve team, leading to a call up to the Spanish under 16's. A series of outstanding performances for the Spanish Youth side caught the eye of some of the world's biggest clubs. Manchester United and Valencia CF both faxed trial offers, showing how his stock had risen in just a few months. Arsenal however made a straight cash offer without a trial and an agreement was struck.[1]

Arsenal

Ignasi joined the club just after his 16th birthday,[2] making his debut in the Zinedine Zidane Tournament held in Cannes.[3] Miquel made 12 appearances for the reserves in the 2009–10 season, becoming reserve team captain. He was selected as part of the first team squad for Cup games against Ipswich Town and Leeds United in January 2011[4] but did not feature in either game. On 20 February 2011, prior to Arsenal's FA Cup fifth round match against Leyton Orient, it was announced that he would be starting his first competitive match for the club.[5] He played the full 90 minutes as Arsenal drew with Leyton Orient 1–1.[6] On 2 March, Miquel played the full 90 minutes as Arsenal beat Leyton Orient 5–0 in the FA Cup replay at the Emirates.[7]

2011–12 season

Ignasi enjoyed a season to remember in the first team after being called into action in both the Premier League and Champions League. Miquel made his Premier League debut against Liverpool on 20 August 2011, coming on for the injured Laurent Koscielny in the 16th minute as Arsenal lost 2–0. Liverpool's first goal occurred when Miquel's clearance hit Aaron Ramsey's chest, resulting in an own goal.[8] Miquel made his second appearance of the season and his debut in the Football League Cup in the 3–1 win against Shrewsbury Town.[9] Miquel would go on to play every minute of Arsenal's 2011–12 League Cup campaign as they reached the Fifth Round before being knocked out by Manchester City.[10] On 6 December 2011, Miquel made his UEFA Champions League debut for Arsenal in the 3–1 away defeat to Olympiacos, coming on for André Santos in the 51st minute.[11] On 9 January 2012, Miquel made his first FA Cup appearance of the season, starting at left-back as Arsenal beat Leeds United 1–0 in the Third Round.[12] On 15 January 2012, Miquel made his first Premier League start in the 3–2 defeat to Swansea City, playing the full 90 minutes at left-back.[13]

2012–13 season

Miquel made his first start of the season and scored his first career goal in the 6–1 victory over Coventry City FC in the League Cup. Miquel headed home an Andrei Arshavin cross from close range.[14] Miquel made his first Premier League appearance of the season in the 1–0 away victory over Sunderland AFC, replacing Theo Walcott as a substitute in the 88th minute.[15]

Loan to Leicester City

On 9 August 2013, Miquel joined Championship side Leicester City on loan until the end of the 2013–14 season.[16] Ignasi made his debut for The Foxes on 27 August 2013 in the 5–2 away win over Carlisle United in the second-round of the League Cup.[17]

Miquel scored his first goal for the club against Fulham on 30 October 2013, in the League Cup, helping his side progress into the quarter-finals (with a 4–3 win).[18][19]

Norwich City

Miquel joined Championship club Norwich City a few hours before the close of the 2014 summer transfer window on a three-year deal with an option of a further 12 months.[20] He made his debut on 23 September, starting in a 0–1 loss to League Two team Shrewsbury Town in the third round of the League Cup.[21] His only other appearance of the season came on 3 January 2015 in the third round of the FA Cup, a 0–2 defeat at League One Preston North End.[22]

Ponferradina / Lugo

On 30 July 2015 Miquel signed a two-year deal with SD Ponferradina,[23] after his contract with Norwich was ended early by mutual agreement.[24] On 1 July 2016, after Ponfe's relegation, he moved to CD Lugo also in the second division.[25]

International career

Miquel played for the Spain under-19 team that won the 2011 European Championship. He was ever-present, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in every game. Miquel made his debut for the Spanish U21 team on Tuesday 5 February 2013 in the 1–1 draw against Belgium, coming on as a 57th minutes substitute for Jordi Amat.[26]

Club statistics

As of 3 January 2015[27]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 2010–11 Premier League 0020000020
2011–12 40101[lower-alpha 1]03[lower-alpha 2]090
2012–13 1000002[lower-alpha 2]131
Total 50301051141
Leicester City (loan) 2013–14 Championship 70104[lower-alpha 2]1121
Norwich City 2014–15 Championship 00101[lower-alpha 2]020
Ponferradina 2015–16 Segunda División 000000
Career total 1205010102282
  1. All appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  2. 1 2 3 4 All appearance(s) in Football League Cup

References

  1. "Arsenal's Miquel Promises To Be One for the Future «". Young Guns Blog. 20 December 2011.
  2. "Highly rated Spanish youngster Ignasi Miquel signs". IMScouting. 5 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  3. "Arsenal Win The Zinédine Zidane Tournament in Cannes « Young Guns". Young Guns Blog. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  4. Muro, Giuseppe. "Miquel striving for first-team opportunities". Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  5. "Team News: Miquel starts at Orient". Arsenal.com. Arsenal Football Club. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  6. "Leyton Orient 1–1 Arsenal". Arsenal.com. Arsenal Football Club. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  7. "Arsenal 5 – 0 Leyton Orient". bbc.co.uk. BBC Sport. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  8. "BBC Sport – Arsenal 0–2 Liverpool". BBC. 20 August 2011.
  9. "BBC Sport – Arsenal 3–1 Shrewsbury". BBC. 20 September 2011.
  10. "BBC Sport – Arsenal 0–1 Manchester City". BBC. 29 November 2011.
  11. "Match Report – Olympiacos v Arsenal – 6 December 2011". Sky Sports. 6 December 2011.
  12. "Match Report – Arsenal v Leeds United". 9 January 2012.
  13. "Premier League: Swansea 3–2 Arsenal – Report". Arsenal.com.
  14. "Arsenal 6–1 Coventry City – Match Report". Arsenal.com. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  15. "Sunderland v Arsenal – 9th Feb 2013". Sky Sports Football.
  16. "Gunner Miquel joins City". www.LCFC.com. Leicester City F.C. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  17. "BBC Sport - Carlisle 2–5 Leicester". BBC.
  18. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24619466
  19. http://www.lcfc.com/news/article/301013-miquel-an-unbelievable-feeling-1144973.aspx
  20. "Spanish youth international defender joins Norwich".
  21. Scott, Ged (23 September 2014). "Shrewsbury 1-0 Norwich". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  22. "Preston 2-0 Norwich". BBC Sport. 3 January 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  23. "La Ponferradina acuerda la incorporación de Ignasi Miquel" [Ponferradina agrees the signing of Ignasi Miquel] (in Spanish). Ponferradina's official website. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  24. http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/ignasi_miquel_to_leave_norwich_city_after_agreeing_to_end_contract_early_1_4174345
  25. "Ignasi Miquel, nuevo jugador del CD Lugo" [Ignasi Miquel, new player of CD Lugo] (in Spanish). CD Lugo. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  26. "Siempre Cantera – Futbol Base en España – Selección Sub 17 y Sub 21".
  27. "Ignasi Miquel". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
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