After bringing Spanish coach Albert Roca on board, Bengaluru FC on Monday announced the signing of two more Spanish players -- Alvaro Rubio and Juan Gonzalez -- ahead of their crucial AFC Cup 2016 quarterfinal match against Tampines Rovers. While the contract of Rubio runs until the end of the calendar year, Gonzalez put pen to paper on a season-long contract.
The duo joins John Johnson and Cameron Watson as the other foreign players in the side ahead of the upcoming I-League season.
Both the Spaniards have played with top Spanish sides in the past and their experience will remain key for the Indian football side in their campaign. Rubio has 204 appearances in the La Liga, mostly with Real Vallodid. The 37-year-old midfielder was also a part of the Spain team who won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1999.
"I am happy to have signed for Bengaluru FC. We trained with the team today and everyone is very welcoming," Rubio mentioned in a statement. "The aim is to try and understand the systems as soon as possible and I would like to use my experience to help the team to success," the midfielder added.
They [Rubio and Juanan] are good professionals and team players and will strengthen the squad before what is a crucial set of AFC Cup games".
- Albert Roca, Bengaluru FC coach.
Gonzalez, widely referred as Juanan, meanwhile, has never played in the La Liga but he has appeared for Fortuna Dusseldorf in the German Bundesliga, where he has made a total of 15 appearances. The 29-year-old defender was a part of the B team of Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid.
"I've come here to experience something new and I'm confident I will be able to contribute to the team's success," said Juanan. "I've left my family back home and that is tough but I'm here to do a job and do it well," the lanky defender added.
