Aitor Ocio

Summary

Aitor Ocio Carrión (born 28 November 1976) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Aitor Ocio
Ocio as an Athletic Bilbao player (2008)
Personal information
Full name Aitor Ocio Carrión
Date of birth (1976-11-28) 28 November 1976 (age 47)
Place of birth Vitoria, Spain
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Alavés
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1998 Aurrerá 65 (3)
1998–2003 Athletic Bilbao 33 (1)
1998–1999Eibar (loan) 29 (0)
1999–2000Albacete (loan) 34 (0)
2000–2001Osasuna (loan) 14 (0)
2003–2007 Sevilla 64 (3)
2007–2012 Athletic Bilbao 62 (1)
Total 301 (8)
International career
1992 Spain U16 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

In a 18-year senior career, in which he amassed La Liga totals of 173 matches and five goals, he played mainly for Athletic Bilbao (seven years, two spells) and Sevilla (four), winning three major titles with the latter club, including two UEFA Cups.

Club career edit

Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Ocio made his debut in La Liga with CA Osasuna during the 2000–01 season, after second division spells with SD Eibar and Albacete Balompié. He then came to prominence with Athletic Bilbao, who had loaned him to all three clubs.[1]

Ocio joined Sevilla FC in summer 2003 on a three-year deal,[2] going on to play a somewhat important part on a squad that won four titles (one Copa del Rey, two UEFA Cups and one UEFA Super Cup) in two seasons.[3] During his four-year spell he was the Andalusian's vice-captain behind Javi Navarro,[4][5] and had a best personal output of 23 games and two goals in the 2005–06 campaign.

In mid-July 2007, Ocio returned to Bilbao,[6] playing 27 matches in his first season as the Basque side finished mid-table. He produced similar numbers in the following, adding a rare goal at former club Osasuna albeit in a 2–1 away defeat in which he was also sent off,[7] one of five ejections he totalled in his first two years.[8]

Ocio also began 2009–10 in the starting XI. However, after an injury suffered in early October 2009, he missed the rest of the season, with Athletic finishing eighth, adding just five competitive appearances the following year also due to persistent physical problems but renewing his contract on 23 May 2011.[9]

35-year-old Ocio was deemed surplus to requirements at Athletic in the 2011–12 season after the appointment of manager Marcelo Bielsa, alongside teammates Koikili and Iban Zubiaurre. He remained with the team, however.[10]

On 14 June 2012, Ocio announced his retirement from football.[11]

Personal life edit

Ocio had a relationship with model Laura Sánchez, with whom he had a daughter, Naia, born on 1 August 2006.[12]

Honours edit

Sevilla

Athletic Bilbao

References edit

  1. ^ García, Alberto (19 July 2001). ""No pienso soltarla"" ["I'm not letting go of this"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Ocio heads south to Sevilla". UEFA. 9 July 2003. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  3. ^ Romero Moreira, Ana María (30 June 2017). "Aitor Ocio: "El momento más especial fue la semifinal ante el Schalke"" [Aitor Ocio: "The most special moment was the semi-final against Schalke"] (in Spanish). La Colina de Nervión. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  4. ^ Montes de Oca, Fran (7 April 2016). "Aitor Ocio, emocionado: «¡Esto es una faena, una pena!»" [Aitor Ocio, moved: "What a trick, such a shame!"]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  5. ^ Florido, Eduardo (22 March 2019). "Dos ramos de flores eternos (2–0)" [Two eternal bouquets of flowers (2–0)]. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Aitor Ocio cumple "un sueño" con su regreso al Athletic cuatro años después" [Aitor Ocio fulfills "dream" returning to Athletic four years later]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 14 July 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Osasuna 2–1 Athletic Bilbao". ESPN Soccernet. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  8. ^ "El Athletic lleva 7 expulsiones en 7 partidos, 5 en los 4 últimos" [Athletic have 7 ejections in 7 matches, 5 in last 4]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 27 April 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  9. ^ "Aitor Ocio renueva por una temporada" [Aitor Ocio renews for one season]. Marca (in Spanish). 23 May 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  10. ^ San Cristóbal, Ainara (14 July 2011). "Koi, entre los ocho leones descartados por el argentino" [Koi, amongst the eight lions deemed surplus to requirements by the Argentine]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  11. ^ "Aitor Ocio: "Esto pone punto final a un sueño de mi infancia"" [Aitor Ocio: "This is the end of a childhood dream"] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  12. ^ "Aitor Ocio a Laura Sánchez: "Actúo siempre dentro de la legalidad y la Fiscalía no vio que vulnerase nada"" [Aitor Ocio to Laura Sánchez: "I always operate within a legal scope and the district attorney did not see any wrongdoings on my part"] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2015.

External links edit

  • Aitor Ocio at Athletic Bilbao
  • Aitor Ocio at BDFutbol
  • Aitor Ocio at Soccerway