Mariano Pernía

Mariano Pernía

Personal information
Full name	Mariano Andrés Pernía Molina
Date of birth	May 4, 1977 (1977-05-04) (age 34)
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Tigre
Number	25
Youth career
	San Lorenzo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1997–1999	San Lorenzo	0	(0)
1999–2002	Independiente	46	(2)
2003–2004	Recreativo	59	(3)
2004–2006	Getafe	72	(13)
2006–2010	Atlético Madrid	80	(1)
2010	Nacional	7	(0)
2011–	Tigre	9	(1)
National team
2006–2007	Spain	11	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12:09, 23 January 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Pernía and the second or maternal family name is Molina.

Mariano Andrés Pernía Molina (born 4 May 1977) is an Argentine-born Spanish footballer who plays for Club Atlético Tigre as a left defender.

After starting professionally with Independiente, he moved to Spain in the early 2000s, going on to represent three teams in the country - most notably Getafe and Atlético Madrid, scoring 10 La Liga goals in one sole season with the former - amassing Spanish top flight totals of 171 games and 16 goals, over the course of seven seasons.

Pernía represented his adopted nation in the 2006 World Cup.

Club career

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pernía came through the ranks at Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro, but never achieved a first-team presence. He got his first chance of professional football when he moved to Club Atlético Independiente, but found himself moving in and out of the main squad. He made a total of 57 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring two goals.

In January 2003, Pernía moved to La Liga side Recreativo de Huelva, where he made somewhat of an impact. He started in the Copa del Rey final loss to RCD Mallorca, but the Andalusian outfit was also relegated that season. He played in 40 league matches during the following campaign's second division.

Although Pernía was 26 and yet to break into regular top-flight football, he made the most of his opportunity when he moved to newly promoted side Getafe CF in 2004. He made an immediate impact in the Madrid side as an offensive defender with a killer left foot, scoring three goals in his debut season, including a 40-metre effort against Real Betis. He was a major part of an underrated team that survived its first season in the top division, defying the expectations of several football pundits.

The 2005–06 season saw Pernía start 35 out of 38 games for Getafe, and he amazingly finished the season with 10 goals and two assists, becoming the highest scoring defender in a season for 20 years. With such good form, Pernía’s future was the source of much speculation. Despite a bid from Valencia CF, he signed a four-year contract with Atlético de Madrid starting in 2006–07, battling with Antonio López for the left-back position. Pernía would be sent off in his final Getafe match, a 1–0 away loss to Celta de Vigo.

Pernía started the new season with high expectations after moving to a bigger club. In reality his season was arguably the worst of his career, with patchy form disappointing Atlético coach Javier Aguirre, and he spent much of the season on the bench. His tussle with López for the Atlético and Spanish left-back spot did not eventuate, as Aguirre favoured the latter throughout the season. At the season's end, speculation was rife that Pernía would return to Getafe, following the departure of former teammate Javier Paredes to Real Zaragoza, but he committed himself to Atlético.

However, in the 2007–08 season, the tables turned, and Pernía gained positional battle with López, and would feature in 29 league matches as the colchoneros finished fourth, with eventual UEFA Champions League qualification.

Throughout 2008–09, Pernía remained first-choice most of the campaign. He also saw the birth of his own official fanclub - "Peña Pernía", which was Atlético's fastest growing peña of 2008. However, in early July 2009, he and his family were involved in a serious car accident, in the player's native Argentina. Both his daughter and nephew were unharmed, but Pernía suffered a broken clavicle and minor lung injuries. He went on to fully recover, but the vehicle was practically and totally destroyed;^[1] his season consisted of only two appearances: against UD Marbella for the domestic cup, and in the league against Xerez CD (a 1–2 home loss).

Aged 33, Pernía was released by Atlético in July 2010, signing with Montevideo's Club Nacional de Football two months later. In the following transfer window, however, he returned to his nation of birth, joining top division side Club Atlético Tigre.^[2]

International career

Pernía’s excellent form throughout 2005–06 made him a contender for international selection with Argentina and, somewhat belatedly, Spain. Although born in Argentina, he was granted Spanish citizenship in May 2006.

Initially, national team boss Luis Aragonés opted not to pick Pernía for the Spanish team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup - his reasoning was entirely legal and explained under current FIFA rules on squad selection. Asier del Horno was supposed to be first-choice leftback for the competition. However, an ankle injury sustained by del Horno in the build-up to the tournament saw Pernía controversially called-up as his replacement.^[3] In the last friendly match before the World Cup, Pernía made his debut against Croatia, and scored from a free-kick, on June 7, 2006, in a match played in Geneva.

Surprisingly, Pernía came from third-choice to starter, and appeared in the final stages in group wins against Ukraine and Tunisia, and also in their round of 16 loss to France.

International goals

International goals^[4]

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	June 7, 2006	Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland	Croatia	1–1	2–1	Friendly

Statistics

Club

(Correct as of 11 May 2009)

Club	Season	Domestic League		Domestic Cups		International		Total
		App	G	App	G	App	G	App	G
Atlético Madrid	2008–09	29	0	4	0	3	0	36	0
	2007–08	29	1	?	?	5	0	34	1
	2006–07	21	0	1	0	2	0	24	0
	Total	79	1	5	0	10	0	94	1
Getafe	2005–06	36	10	2	1	4	1	42	12
	2004–05	35	3	?	0	0	0	35	3
	Total	71	13	2	1	4	1	78	15
Recreativo	2003–04	40	1	0	0	0	0	40	1
	2002–03	19	2	3	0	0	0	22	2
	Total	59	3	3	0	0	0	62	3
Independiente	2002–03	2	0	?	?	0	0	2	0
	2001–02	27	2	?	?	0	0	27	2
	2000–01	17	0	?	?	0	0	17	0
	1999–00	0	0	?	?	0	0	0	0
	Total	46	2	0	0	0	0	46	2
San Lorenzo	1998–99	0	0	?	?	0	0	0	0
	Total	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career totals		260	19	10	1	14	1	275	21

Honours

• Independiente:
  • Argentine League: Apertura 2002

• Recreativo:
  • Spanish Cup: Runner-up 2002–03

• Atlético Madrid:
  • Spanish Cup: Runner-up 2009–10

Personal life

Pernía has football in his family. He is the son of a famous Argentine player, Vicente Pernía (who was ironically left controversially out of the Argentine squad for the 1978 FIFA World Cup), to whom Pernía dedicated his World Cup call-up to.

Pernía's mother is Olga, and he also has four brothers and a sister: his eldest brother, Gastón, played for the Orlando Sharks in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Another brother, Leonel, played for the Chicago Storm in the same competition, and also raced cars in his country, competing in the World Touring Car Championship. Pernía's other siblings are Emilio, Julián and Gianna. His great-grandparents are also Spanish.

Pernía has a wife and a young daughter, who was already born in Spain. He was on holiday in Tandil, Argentina, with his family, upon getting the call from Aragonés, and subsequently had to delay his June 20 wedding in order to play in the World Cup. He said of the call-up:

"My wife's happy for me although a bit disappointed about having to postpone the wedding."^[5]

References

1. ^ Pernía stable following car crash
2. ^ "Pernía para el lateral izquierdo de Tigre [Pernía new Tigre's left-back]" (in Spanish). La Razón. 10 January 2011. http://www.larazon.com.ar/deportes/Pernia-lateral-izquierdo-Tigre_0_203100019.html. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
3. ^ Pernia replaces injured Del Horno
4. ^ National team data (Spanish)
5. ^ Pernía goes to the World Cup for Spain

External links

• Argentine League statistics (Spanish)
• Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)
• Mariano Pernía at National-Football-Teams.com
• Mariano Pernía – FIFA competition record
• FootballDatabase profile and stats
• Guardian Stats Centre

Persondata
Name	Pernia, Mariano
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1977-05-04
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of death
Place of death