Augusto Batalla

Augusto Martín Batalla Barga (born 30 April 1996) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Rayo Vallecano. He is a former Argentina U20's international.

Club career Batalla is product of the River Plate academy, which he joined as a five-year old. In 2015, River Plate accepted a loan offer from La Liga side Real Madrid for Batalla with the option of a permanent move. However, Batalla turned down the move to Real Madrid for personal reasons.

He made his first-team debut in 2016 and was promoted by manager Marcelo Gallardo as first-choice goalkeeper after Marcelo Barovero left the club. Batalla remained as the club's first choice goalkeeper, initially impressing, winning the 2015–16 Copa Argentina and the 2016 Recopa Sudamericana titles, before losing his place after errors and the signing of German Lux in June 2017.

After falling further down the pecking order after the signing of Argentina goalkeeper Franco Armani in January 2018. On 5 January 2018, Batalla signed a one-year loan deal with fellow Argentine Primera División side Atlético Tucumán. After impressing and helping the club progress in the Copa Libertadores, On 25 June, Batalla announced on his social media he would be leaving Atlético Tucumán from his loan spell early.

On 3 January 2024, Batalla joined Spanish club Granada in La Liga on loan for the remainder of the season, with the option to make the move permanent. On 23 August, after suffering relegation, he moved to fellow league team Rayo Vallecano also in a temporary deal.

On 20 March 2025, Rayo bought Batalla permanently, with the player agreeing to a contract until 2030. On 7 May 2026, he saved a stoppage-time penalty in the Conference League semi-final second leg against Strasbourg, helping his club secure a place in the final with a 2–0 aggregate victory.

International career Batalla has represented Argentina at various youth levels, including winning South American Under-17 Football Championship in 2013 for the Argentina U17 's where he won the Best goalkeeper of the South American Under-17 Football Championship's

Honours River Plate Recopa Sudamericana: 2016 Copa Argentina: 2015–16

Rayo Vallecano UEFA Conference League runner-up: 2025–26

Argentina U17 South American Under-17 Football Championship: 2013

Argentina U20 South American Youth Football Championship: 2015

Individual Argentine Primera División Team of the Season: 2023