Cani

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Cani's journey to Villarreal began with a loan stint at Utebo FC before he shone for Zaragoza's B team. His breakthrough came in the 2001–02 season when his hometown club faced relegation; he debuted against FC Barcelona, playing 30 minutes in a 1–1 draw. After helping Zaragoza regain top-flight status with five goals in 24 games, he delivered a legendary performance in the 2003–04 Copa del Rey final. Despite being sent off during a dramatic 3–2 extra-time victory over Real Madrid, his contribution was instrumental to the title.

In Their Own Story

The 2010–11 season at Villarreal produced one of Cani's most memorable individual nights. On 9 January 2011, he opened the scoring against Real Madrid with a subtle finish inside the box. However, the match took a volatile turn when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his hat-trick to put the score at 3–2 for the hosts. Seething as manager José Mourinho celebrated in front of the bench, Cani threw a water bottle and was immediately sent off. Although he received a one-match suspension, it was lifted early. He returned to net the opener in a 3–3 draw against Sevilla FC in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, followed by a stunning goal from more than 50 meters in a 4–2 home victory over CA Osasuna.

Reader's Guide

Cani's tenure at Villarreal was defined by consistency and late-career explosions. After a shaky start to the 2008–09 campaign under Manuel Pellegrini, where he was occasionally omitted despite being healthy, he finished strongly with five goals in his last nine appearances, including strikes against Real Madrid, Valencia CF, and RCD Mallorca. Following Pellegrini's departure, Cani became an undisputed starter alongside Robert Pires. In the UEFA Europa League semi-finals that season, he scored three goals, netting once in each leg of a 7–4 aggregate loss to FC Porto. He eventually joined Atlético Madrid on loan in January 2015 before moving to Deportivo de La Coruña and returning to Zaragoza, where he retired at age 36.

Did You Know?

• Cani was sent off during the 2003–04 Copa del Rey final while helping Zaragoza defeat Real Madrid.
• He scored a goal from more than 50 meters in a 4–2 home win against CA Osasuna in 2011.
• In January 2011, he threw a water bottle at José Mourinho after the coach celebrated Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick.
• His nickname was passed down from his father and grandfather, both of whom were also footballers.
• He made exactly 327 competitive appearances for Villarreal CF.