Francisco Javito

Born in Moraleja, Province of Cáceres, Extremadura, on the 4th of November 1984, Javito joined FC Barcelona’s youth system at the age of 17, signing from his local club. He made his professional debuts with the B-team, playing two seasons in Segunda División B and scoring a career-best ten goals in 29 games in his first season. Javito made his official debut for the first team on 7 December 2004, in a UEFA Champions League group stage match against FC Shakhtar Donetsk, playing the first half of the 0–2 away loss. However, he was not lucky to become a regular member of the main squad and decided to try something different. Javito joined Aris Thessaloniki F.C. in the summer of 2006, being the first of several Spaniards that would move to the Greek club in the following years. He immediately established himself in the side’s starting line-up, helping it to the fourth position in the Superleague just one year after promoting. In the 2007–08 playoffs, Javito netted twice in a 4–0 home win against AEK Athens FC. Previously, on 4 October 2007, he scored in a 1–2 loss at Real Zaragoza as the Thessaloniki outfit won 2–2 on aggregate and qualified to the group stages in the UEFA Cup. After his solid late performances for Aris, as his contract was due to expire, Javi signed for a further three years. He started the 2008–09 campaign in great individual form, and scored the winning goal against Olympiacos F.C. on 26 October 2008 (1–0), breaking the 10-year record of invincibility that their opponents held at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium. On 16 September 2010 Javito scored the team’s only goal at home against Europa League title holders Atlético Madrid and also played the full 90 minutes in the second game at the Vicente Calderón Stadium (3–2 win) with Aris eventually finishing second in the group stage at the expense of precisely the Colchoneros. On 31 January 2011, Javito returned to his country and joined La Liga team Deportivo de La Coruña. He would not make one single appearance during his four-month spell due to bureaucratic problems, with the Galicians eventually being relegated. In the summer Javito returned to Greece as he signed with Olympiacos FC, which again featured several compatriots, as manager Ernesto Valverde. In September 2012, the club terminated his contract. In late December 2012, Javito signed with Segunda División side Hércules CF. He contributed with 12 appearances until the end of the season (748 minutes of action), moving to fellow league club AD Alcorcón in the subsequent off-season. The season 2014-2015 found him back in Greece in the starting line-up of Kerkira FC and this year he moved to Komotini to play for Panthrakikos FC