Maxi López

Maxi López

Personal information
Full name	Maximiliano Gastón López
Date of birth	April 3, 1984 (1984-04-03) (age 27)
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Catania
Number	11
Youth career
1997–2001	River Plate
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2005	River Plate	56	(13)
2005–2007	Barcelona	14	(1)
2006–2007	→ Mallorca (loan)	29	(3)
2007–2009	FC Moscow	22	(9)
2009	→ Grêmio (loan)	25	(12)
2010–	Catania	55	(20)
National team‡
2001	Argentina U17	5	(3)
2001–2004	Argentina U20	29	(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 October 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 October 2011

Maximiliano Gastón López (born 3 April 1984) is an Argentine football player who currently plays as a striker for Calcio Catania in the Italian Serie A. López also holds Italian nationality.^[1][2]

Club Career

River Plate

López started his career in 1997 with River Plate. On 19 August 2001, at the mere age of 17, he made his senior debut against Talleres de Córdoba. That same season, the player was officially promoted to the senior squad, following 5 years with the youth program. With River Plate, he was a standout striker and the club won the Torneo Clausura in 2002, 2003, and 2004. López remained with the club until his transfer to Spanish giants FC Barcelona in January 2005. With River Plate, Lopez made over 60 appearances, scoring nearly 20 goals.

FC Barcelona

In January 2005, FC Barcelona signed the Argentine striker for €16.2 million following an injury to striker Henrik Larsson. López failed to break into the club's first team, and despite scoring a wonder goal on his European debut, against Chelsea F.C. in the UEFA Champions League, he was not a regular in the team. In his first season with the Catalan giants, López made just 13 league appearances. He transferred to RCD Mallorca on loan for the 2006–07 season, where he failed to live up to the expectations, scoring only three goals in 25 matches, and hence returned to Barcelona in the summer of 2007, only to be sold simultaneously to FC Moscow.

Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense

On February 13, 2009, the Guild announced the signing of the player on loan from FC Moscow with option to purchase 50% of the federative rights of the player at the end of the loan set at € 1.5 million (R $ 4.3 million). [8] [9] The deal was marked by long talks, which lasted more than forty-five days. [10] The duration of the athlete's new contract is one year. [11] At the end, accepted the Maxi salary around $ 90,000 per month. [8] Maxi opened officially by the Guild on March 8, 2009, in a match valid for the Gaucho in 2009, against Holy Cross, at the Stadium of plantains. The match ended 3-2 to the Santa Cruz and Maxi did not score any goals. [12] Maxi officially debuted at the Stadio Olimpico Monumental on March 18, 2009 against the San Jose-POA, entering at 23 minutes into the second half and scoring a beautiful goal in the 41. [1] On June 24, 2009, was accused by Maxi player Elicarlos, Cruise, having expressed himself so racist, in a match valid for the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores. The player was summoned to testify, and then open inquiry. Lopez denied the charge and, so far, nothing has been proven. [13] [14] Maxi scored four goals in the Copa Libertadores 2009, being a Gunners team. On July 19, 2009, Lopez scored the goal that secured victory in the Guild Grenal centenary. [15] According to the Board of the Guild, this would be a three-year contract with the player. [16] On December 29, 2009, the Guild made the deposit the amount in court and exercised the right to purchase 50% of the pass the player. The athlete would have to pass one million euros to FC Moscow to release. However, Lopez did not touch the money. As a result, you must appear in court to receive the amount or should go to the Labour Court. [17] On January 4, 2010, Maxi Lopez sent a telegram stating that the direction of the Guild does not want to play for the club. As the Guild exercised his right and deposited the sum of 1.5 million euros means that the athlete has a contract with the club. The player, however, there is no longer part of the squad. [18] [19] Even in litigation with the Guild, Maxi was announced on January 20, 2010, as the new hire Catania, Italy. [20] However, the Guild's legal department sent a subpoena to the Italian club and appealed to FIFA. [ 21] Even with the warning by the Brazilian club, the team's Angelo Massimino stadium Lopez presented on January 21 as a new player. [22] On arrival, he said he regards as the best football in Italy. Some time later, the Maxi Catania said she'll return to the Guild, in 2 or 3 years, criticized the former director Meira and said 'these people as Meira do not do well at the Guild' also said that the journalist author of the interview could take the headline for the interview 'Maxi Go Back'. [23]

FC Moscow

On August 16, 2007, López signed with FC Moscow after a transfer fee of €2 million was agreed with Barcelona.^[3] With the club, López made 22 league appearances scoring 9 goals, but on February 13, 2009, Brazilian club, Grêmio signed López on a 1-year loan from FC Moscow.^[4] During his season long loan, the striker managed 11 goals in 25 league starts, and was scouted as a transfer target by several European clubs including Calcio Catania, Chievo Verona, Genoa CFC, Ajax, and Vfl Wolfsburg

Calcio Catania

On January 20, 2010 Lopez officially signed a 4-year contract with Calcio Catania, in the Italian Serie A.^[1] He scored his first Serie A goal on 7 February 2010, providing the only goal in a key 1–0 away win at Stadio Olimpico against struggling S.S. Lazio.^[5] Following his transfer, Lopez broke right into the club's starting line-up under coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, knocking Japanese international, Takayuki Morimoto to the bench. Lopez went on to score 12 goals in just 17 appearances for his club, following his winter transfer and instantly became a fan favorite, and a transfer target by many clubs around Italy. Lopez led his club to a 5th consecutive avoidance of relegation, also guiding his team to a record points total for the club, also ensuring a 12th place finish in the league. Under Mihajlovic, Catania lost just 4 games in 6 months, following his appointment on December 8, 2009. During the 2010-11 season, the striker has failed to emulate his extremely impressive form from last season, which saw him score 12 goals in just 17 games, but the player has managed 6 goals so far this season and is still Catania's top goal scorer. It has been touted that his lack of goals is in part do to the sale of former star Jorge Andres Martinez, who left for Juventus in July on a 12 million Euro deal. Catania's attack had been bolstered during the recent market as right winger Ezequiel Schelotto, attacking midfielder Francesco Lodi, and Gonzalo Bergessio were all transferred in from A.C. Cesena, Frosinone Calcio, and A.S. Saint-Étienne, respectively, however Schelotto was released upon the expiration of his loan deal on June 30, 2011. He scored his 20th goal for Catania against Cesena on 18 September 2011, from penalty kick.

International career

Maxi López represented his birth nation of Argentina at Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 levels, also taking part to the 2003 South American Youth Championship. He is currently eligible for both Argentina and Italy, as he holds both citizenships and has never represented any national team at senior level. In July 2010 he explicitly stated he might accept a call-up from the Azzurri.^[6]

Maxilopezian "Church"

Lopez's surprising change of luck from being a criticised forward in River Plate to being signed by world's giants FC Barcelona made him an Internet meme in his native Argentina. Satirical blogs were created lobbying for his inclusion in the Argentinean squad for the 2006 World Cup. After the Argentinean elimination of the cup (With Lopez getting any caps at all) the nature of the meme changed to a series of reasons explaining his lack of time play on Barcelona with hyperbolic claims about Lopez's virility, skilfulness and a supposed affair with the wife of Barcelona's coach Frank Rijkard which closely resembled Chuck Norris Facts. In interviews, Lopez has stated that he is ok with this unexpected following and the Church of the "White Drogba". (As he is known after missing a crucial Penalty kick for River against Arch-enemies Boca Juniors on the same week Didier Drogba missed one against Egypt in the final of 2006 African Cup of Nations) ^[7][8]

Personal life

He is currently married to Wanda Nara (Sister of Zaira Nara, Diego Forlán's former fiancé), and has two children with her.

Club statistics

As of 12 October 2011

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
River Plate	2001–02	17	1	—		—		—		17	1
	2002–03	6	1	—		—		—		6	1
	2003–04	17	6	—		—		—		17	6
	2004–05	16	5	—		—		—		16	5
	Total	56	13	—		—		—		56	13
Barcelona
	2004–05	8	0	0	0	2	1	—		10	1
	2005–06	6	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	9	1
	Total	14	0	2	1	3	1	0	0	19	2
Mallorca
	2006–07	29	3	2	2	—		—		31	5
	Total	29	3	2	2	—		—		31	5
FC Moscow
	2007	9	6	—		—		—		9	6
	2008	13	3	0	0	1	0	—		14	3
	Total	22	9	0	0	1	0	—		23	9
Gremio
	2009	25	12	0	0	9	4	7	1	41	17
	Total	25	12	0	0	9	4	7	1	41	17
Catania
	2009–10	17	11	—		—		—		17	11
	2010–11	35	8	2	2	—		—		37	10
	2011–12	3	1	0	0	—		—		3	1
	Total	55	20	2	2	—		—		57	22
Career totals		201	57	6	5	13	5	7	1	227	68

Honours

Barcelona

• Spanish League: (2) 2004–05, 2005–06
• UEFA Champions League: (1) 2005–06,

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Maxi Lopez al Catania" (in Italian). Calcio Catania. 2010-01-20. http://www.calciocatania.it/comunicati/comunicati.php?id=18561. Retrieved 2010-01-20. 
2. ^ "Milito To Be Checked In Passport Scandal". goal.com. 15 July 2009. http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2008/07/15/777091/milito-to-be-checked-in-passport-scandal. Retrieved 2009-11-01. 
3. ^ Lopez signs with FC Moscow
4. ^ "MAXI LOPÉZ IS OFFICIALLY PRESENTED". Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense. 2009-02-17. http://www.gremio.net/news/view.aspx?id=7284. Retrieved 2010-01-20. 
5. ^ "Lazio 0–1 Catania". ESPN Star. 2010-02-07. http://www.espnstar.com/football/serie-a/news/detail/item393362/Lazio-0-1-Catania-/. Retrieved 2010-02-07. 
6. ^ "Catania, Maxi Lopez: "Pronto a indossare la maglia della Nazionale italiana"" (in Italian). TuttoMercatoWeb. 2010-07-15. http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/catania/?action=read&idnet=aXRhc3BvcnRwcmVzcy5pdC0zMDUxNA. Retrieved 2010-07-31. 
7. ^ "Conocer a Wanda fue mi mejor golazo" (in Spanish). Ole. 2009-01-09. http://edant.ole.com.ar/notas/2009/01/11/futbollocal/01837280.html. Retrieved 2011-01-07. 
8. ^ "Los hinchas copan la web" (in Spanish). La Manhana de Cordoba. 2008-01-02. http://www.lmcordoba.com.ar/2008/01/02/nota156539.html. Retrieved 2011-01-07. 

External links

• European Champions Cup/UEFA Champions League Winning Squads
• Maxi López – FIFA competition record
• Profile and statistics at FootballDatabase
• Guardian statistics
• team profile and statistics at FK Moscow website
• (Spanish) Argentine Primera statistics

Persondata
Name	Lopez, Maximiliano Gaston
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1984-04-03
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of death
Place of death