Álex Fernández

Álex

File:Alejandro Fernandez Iglesias.jpg Álex with Spain U18 in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Alejandro Fernández Iglesias
Date of birth	(1992-10-15) 15 October 1992
Place of birth	Madrid, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Espanyol
Youth career
2000–2003	AD Complutense
2003–2005	Alcalá
2005–2010	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2013	Real Madrid B	99	(6)
2011	Real Madrid	1	(0)
2013–	Espanyol	29	(0)
2015	→ Rijeka (loan)	9	(2)
2015–2016	→ Reading (loan)	10	(1)
International career
2008–2009	Spain U17	14	(2)
2010	Spain U18	2	(0)
2010–2011	Spain U19	10	(0)
2011	Spain U20	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 May 2016

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Iglesias.

Alejandro Fernández Iglesias (born 15 October 1992), commonly known as Álex, is a Spanish footballer who plays for RCD Espanyol as a central midfielder.

Club career

Real Madrid

Born in Madrid, Álex joined Real Madrid's youth system at not yet 13, arriving from neighbouring RSD Alcalá. In 2010 he started appearing with Real Madrid Castilla in Segunda División B and, in July of that year, he was called by first-team coach José Mourinho to a preseason tour in the United States; he made his unofficial debut on 5 August in a friendly match against Club América (3–2 win), with his brother Nacho also making his first appearance that day.

Álex made his league debut with the B-team on 29 August 2010, playing 87 minutes in a 3–2 home win against Coruxo FC. On 3 October he scored his first goal, contributing to a 3–0 home success over AD Cerro de Reyes, and finished his first season with 30 games and two goals as the team fell short in the promotion playoffs.

On 6 March 2011 Álex made his La Liga debut, playing the last minute of the 3–1 win at Racing de Santander. He contributed with 35 appearances in the 2011–12 campaign – playoffs included – with Castilla returning to the second level after five years.

Espanyol

Álex left Real Madrid in August 2013, by mutual consent. He signed shortly after with RCD Espanyol in the top level, appearing in 30 competitive games in his first year but starting in only five.

On 28 January 2015, Espanyol loaned Álex to HNK Rijeka until the end of the season. On 18 August, in the same predicament, he joined Championship side Reading with a view to a permanent move at the end of the campaign. He scored his first goal for the latter club on 19 January 2016, in a 5–2 home triumph over Huddersfield Town for the FA Cup.

Personal life

Álex's older brother, José Ignacio, is also a footballer. A defender, he too graduated from Real Madrid's academy.

Club statistics

As of match played 19 January 2016

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Real Madrid Castilla	2010–11	Segunda División B	32	2	-		-		-		-		32	2
	2011–12		35	1	-		-		-		-		35	1
	2012–13	Segunda División	32	3	-		-		-		-		32	3
	Total		99	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	99	6
Real Madrid	2010–11	La Liga	1	0	0	0	-		0	0	-		1	0
	2011–12		0	0	0	0	-		0	0	-		0	0
	2012–13		0	0	1	0	-		0	0	-		1	0
	Total		1	0	1	0	-	-	0	0	-	-	2	0
Espanyol	2013–14	La Liga	24	0	6	0	-		-		-		30	0
	2014–15		5	0	2	0	-		-		-		7	0
	2015–16		0	0	0	0	-		-		-		0	0
	Total		29	0	8	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	37	0
Rijeka (loan)	2014–15	Prva HNL	9	2	2	0	-		0	0	0	0	11	2
Reading (loan)	2015–16	Championship	8	0	1	1	1	0	-		-		10	1
Career total			146	8	12	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	159	9

Honours

Club

Real Madrid Castilla

• Segunda División B: 2011–12

Country

Spain U19

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2011

Individual

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship: Player of the Tournament 2011

External links

• Álex Fernández profile at BDFutbol