| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luís Miguel Afonso Fernandes | ||
| Date of birth | 6 October 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Bragança, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Espanyol (on loan from Benfica) | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2007 | Bragança | ||
| 2007–2008 | Braga | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007 | Bragança | 4 | (1) |
| 2008–2012 | Braga | 2 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → Ribeirão (loan) | 25 | (1) |
| 2009 | → Covilhã (loan) | 14 | (4) |
| 2010–2011 | → Paços Ferreira (loan) | 42 | (8) |
| 2011–2012 | → Atlético Madrid (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Atlético Madrid | 0 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) | 35 | (8) |
| 2013– | Benfica | 0 | (0) |
| 2013– | → Espanyol (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2008 | Portugal U19 | 4 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Portugal U21 | 2 | (0) |
| 2012– | Portugal | 2 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:00, 1 June 2013 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:00, 15 August 2013 (UTC) | |||
Luís Miguel Afonso Fernandes (born 6 October 1989), aka Pizzi, is a Portuguese professionalfootballer who plays for RCD Espanyol on loan from S.L. Benfica as a forward.
Club career
Early years / Braga
Born in Bragança, Trás-os-Montes, Pizzi started his career at local club G.D. Bragança, appearing in four third division games whilst still a junior. He completed his formation in Minho, signing for S.C. Braga in 2007.
Loaned by Braga, Pizzi made his senior debuts also in the third level, with G.D. Ribeirão. For the2009–10 season, in the same predicament, he joined S.C. Covilhã, but left in the followingtransfer window to F.C. Paços de Ferreira, still owned by Braga. He made his top division debut on 16 January 2010, playing 25 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against F.C. Porto.
In 2010–11, Pizzi scored seven league goals for Paços, only missing three league matches. On 8 May 2011 he netted a hat-trick in a 3–3 draw at Porto, which turned out to be the only home league game that the eventual champions failed to win during the season.[1]
Spain
On 30 August 2011 Pizzi moved to Spanish team Atlético Madrid, on loan until the end of the year, after which the Colchoneros had an option to buy the player permanently for €13.5 million,[2][3] which they did in October of the following year.[4][5] He made his La Liga debut on 18 September 2011, replacing also newly signed Radamel Falcao midway through the second half of a 4–0 home win against Racing de Santander.[6]
Along with several compatriots, initially still under contract with Braga, Pizzi moved to Deportivo de La Coruña for the 2012–13 campaign. In only his second appearance, through a penalty kick, he helped the Galicians come back from 1–3 at Valencia CF for a final 3–3 draw, scoring his team's last goal;[7] he added a brace against FC Barcelona on 20 October 2012 – one of the goals coming through a superbly-taken free kick – but his team lost 4–5 at the Riazor Stadium.[8]
On 26 July 2013 Pizzi signed a six-year contract with S.L. Benfica, for a fee of €6 million for half of his economic rights, being immediately loaned to RCD Espanyol also in Spain's top flight.[9][10][11]
International career
Pizzi made his debut for Portugal on 14 November 2012 in a friendly with Gabon, scoring through a penalty in an eventual 2–2 draw in Libreville.
