Mikel Saizar

Mikel Saizar Soroa (born 18 January 1983) is a Spanish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and the current goalkeeping coach of Real Sociedad C.

Mikel Saizar
Personal information
Full nameMikel Saizar Soroa
Date of birth (1983-01-18) 18 January 1983 (age 41)
Place of birthIbarra, Spain
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Real Sociedad C (goalkeeping coach)
Youth career
Tolosa
1998–2000Athletic Bilbao
2000–2001Tolosa
2001Real Unión
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2001–2002Real Unión4(0)
2002–2006Real Sociedad B58(0)
2006–2009Pontevedra42(0)
2009–2010Cultural Leonesa20(0)
2010–2012Guadalajara68(0)
2012–2015Córdoba39(0)
2015–2016AEK Larnaca4(0)
2016–2017Numancia1(0)
2017–2019Burgos75(0)
2019–2022Amorebieta63(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Ibarra (Gipuzkoa), Saizar made his senior debut with Real Unión in the 2001–02 season, in the Segunda División B. In the summer of 2002 he joined Basque neighbours Real Sociedad, being assigned to the reserves also in the third tier.

Saizar continued to compete in the third division the following years, representing Pontevedra CF, Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa[1] and CD Guadalajara.[2] With the latter side, he achieved promotion to Segunda División in 2011.

On 27 August 2011, aged 28, Saizar made his debut as a professional, starting in a 1–1 home draw against UD Las Palmas.[3] He played all 42 league games during the campaign, as the Castilla-La Mancha club narrowly avoided relegation.

On 10 July 2012, Saizar moved to Córdoba CF also in division two.[4] He spent his first year as a backup to Alberto García.

Saizar renewed his contract with the Andalusians on 14 February 2013,[5] and was an ever-present figure in 2013–14 as his team returned to La Liga after a 42-year absence.[6] He made his debut in the competition on 21 February 2015, starting in a 1–2 home loss to Valencia CF.[7]

Saizar cut ties with Córdoba on 21 July 2015, after suffering relegation.[8] On 30 November of the following year, after spending one season as a backup to compatriot Toño at AEK Larnaca FC from the Cypriot First Division, he signed a one-year deal with CD Numancia.[9] He played only once for the Soria-based club before dropping down a division to join Burgos CF, where he kept a clean sheet for the first nine games of the 2017–18 season before a 1–1 draw at CD Mirandés on 21 October.[10]

Club statistics

As of 17 September 2015
ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Real Unión2001–02[11]Segunda División B4040
Real Sociedad B2003–04[11]Segunda División B200200
2004–05[11]Segunda División B110110
2005–06[11]Segunda División B2702[a]0290
Total58020600
Pontevedra2006–07[11]Segunda División B201030
2007–08[11]Segunda División B20500070
2008–09[11]Segunda División B38010390
Total4207000490
Cultural Leonesa2009–10[11]Segunda División B20040240
Guadalajara2010–11[11]Segunda División B2600000260
2011–12[11]Segunda División42010430
Total68010690
Córdoba2012–13[11]Segunda División206080
2013–14[11]Segunda División31000310
2014–15[11]La Liga602080
Total39080470
AEK Larnaca2015–16[12]Cypriot First Division10000010
Career total2320200202540

References