Javi García

Benfica

Deemed surplus to requirements at Real Madrid, García signed for Benfica in Portugal on 21 July 2009 on a five-year contract for a €7 million transfer fee. An undisputed starter throughout his first season he also scored three goals, most notably through a header in the last minute for the game's only goal against Associação Naval 1º de Maio at home, as the club clung onto the top position on 9 November and eventually won the Primeira Liga.

García made 39 competitive appearances in 2011–12. His two goals of the campaign came against Sporting CP in the Lisbon derby 1–0 home win, and at Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League – in the latter, he netted off a corner kick in the 85th minute to make it 1–1, but ten-men Benfica lost 2–1 and 3–1 on aggregate.

Manchester City On 31 August 2012, García joined Manchester City for £15.8 million. He made his Premier League debut on 15 September in a 1–1 away draw to Stoke City, scoring with a header from a Carlos Tevez free kick.

After picking up a thigh injury in the early minutes of the Champions League group stage fixture against Borussia Dortmund, García missed several weeks of action. He made his return against West Ham United, replacing Tevez in the 84th minute of a 0–0 draw at Upton Park. On 15 December, he started in a 3–1 victory at Newcastle United and scored his side's second goal.

Zenit Saint Petersburg On 13 August 2014, Zenit Saint Petersburg announced the £13 million signing of García after he passed the medical and agreed to personal terms. He scored his first goal for his new team 18 days later, the only in an away win over Lokomotiv Moscow in the Russian Premier League.

García played 24 matches in the 2014–15 season, scoring three times as the side won the fifth national championship in their history (fourth under the tournament's new denomination).

Betis On 14 August 2017, the 30-year-old García returned to Spain after eight years to join Real Betis. He totalled 64 games for the team from the Estadio Benito Villamarín over three seasons, scoring once in a 3–1 away win against Alavés on 12 March 2018 and being sent off the following 10 February in a 3–0 loss at Leganés.

García signed a new two-year contract with the Andalusians on 5 July 2019.

Boavista After mutually terminating his contract with Betis, García went back to Portugal's top flight by joining Boavista on a three-year deal on 19 August 2020. He scored his first goal for the team on 25 October in a 2–2 draw at Famalicão, in which he was sent off.

On 22 June 2022, the 35-year-old García retired. Remaining in Portugal, he immediately went back to Benfica and joined the staff of new manager Roger Schmidt.

International career García represented the Spain national under-21 team at the 2009 UEFA European Championship, appearing against England (2–0 loss) in an eventual group stage exit. He earned his first cap for the full side on 26 May 2012, playing 22 minutes of a 2–0 friendly win over Serbia in St. Gallen.

Career statistics Club

Honours Real Madrid B Segunda División B: 2004–05

Real Madrid Supercopa de España: 2008

Benfica Primeira Liga: 2009–10 Taça da Liga: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12 Football League Cup: 2013–14 FA Cup runner-up: 2012–13

Zenit Saint Petersburg Russian Premier League: 2014–15 Russian Cup: 2015–16