Casto (footballer)
Spanish footballer (born 1982)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Casto Espinosa Barriga (born 18 June 1982), known simply as Casto, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
|
Casto as a Betis player in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Casto Espinosa Barriga[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 18 June 1982[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Pueblonuevo, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Pueblonuevo | |||
| 1999–2001 | Mérida | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2003 | Mérida | 6 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Logroñés | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Albacete B | ||
| 2006 | Albacete | 1 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Betis B | 13 | (0) |
| 2007–2013 | Betis | 71 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Murcia | 41 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Las Palmas | 30 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | Almería | 77 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Alcorcón | 39 | (0) |
| 2018–2022 | Extremadura | 91 | (0) |
| Total | 369 | (0) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Born in Pueblonuevo del Guadiana, Province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Casto spent four years at local Mérida (formative years included), making seven league appearances for the seniors in the Segunda División B. In 2003, he moved to Logroñés where he played one season before joining Albacete of Segunda División, featuring in one match for the first team in 2005–06.[2][3]
Casto signed with Real Betis in the summer of 2006, where he initially began as third-choice behind Pedro Contreras and Toni Doblas. With the arrival of Portuguese international Ricardo in the following campaign, it seemed as though he would be provided with little opportunity to shine, even with Contreras' departure. However, after a serious injury to Doblas, he was called up from the reserves; after Ricardo also went down with a minor ailment, he made his debut in La Liga on 16 December 2007, in a 3–1 home win against Almería.[4]
In March and April 2008 Casto, who eventually overtook Ricardo as starter after the latter's recovery, featured in Betis' first three back-to-back victories in over two years, with wins over Osasuna, Barcelona and Real Zaragoza. In his first five games his team won four, with the player keeping clean sheets in three.[5][6][7]
As coach, Paco Chaparro stayed on the bench for 2008–09 and Casto won the battle for first-choice over Ricardo, being the undisputed starter during the early stages, a situation which would revert midway through the season.[8] He started often after Ricardo's departure to Leicester City, only being overtaken by Adrián in 2012–13.[9]
Casto left the Verdiblancos after his contract expired, and resumed his career in the second tier, representing Real Murcia,[10] Las Palmas,[11] Almería,[12] Alcorcón[13] and Extremadura.[14] With the latter side, he spent the first half of the 2018–19 campaign unregistered as they had surpassed the agreed salary cap.[15]
With Extremadura back in division three, Casto was released in January 2022 due to the club's severe financial problems.[16][17] The following month, the 39-year-old announced his retirement.[3]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Mérida | 2001–02 | Segunda División B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Logroñés | 2003–04 | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Albacete | 2004–05 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | Segunda División | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Betis | 2006–07 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2009–10 | Segunda División | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | La Liga | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| Total | 71 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 0 | ||
| Murcia | 2013–14 | Segunda División | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| Las Palmas | 2014–15 | Segunda División | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Almería | 2015–16 | Segunda División | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | |
| 2016–17 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 41 | 0 | |||
| Total | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 0 | ||
| Alcorcón | 2017–18 | Segunda División | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | |
| Extremadura | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21 | Segunda División B | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Total | 74 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 352 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 376 | 0 | ||
- Appearances in promotion playoffs
Honours
Betis