Sotero López Clemente

Sotero López Clemente (born 12 August 1972) is a Spanish former footballer who could play as a left back or centre back.

He began his career with Albacete Balompié, and played 104 La Liga matches for that club and Logroñés during the 1990s. He made one appearance in the Spain Under-21 national side in 1993.

Club career Albacete Balompié

Sotero was born in Albacete in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, and began his career with local club Albacete Balompié. He wasn't involved as Albacete won the Segunda División, and earned promotion to La Liga for the first time in their history. He spent the first part of the following season on loan at Ibiza, who ultimately won their group in that year's Tercera División. His spell at Ibiza included a stunning 11–0 home win over Cala d'Or in the first round of the Copa del Rey on 25 August.

On his return to Albacete, he made his La Liga debut in a 3–1 away loss to Real Burgos at Estadio El Plantío on 26 April. He kept his place for his home debut a week later, in a 1–0 win over Real Mallorca at Estadio Carlos Belmonte. He ultimately played six matches for Albacete that season. and just seven the following year. in what was a rather mixed year for Albacete. They reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey before eventually losing to Valencia, but 17th in the league meant they once again faced a relegation playoff. Sotero played in both legs of the 5–2 aggregate defeat by Salamanca,

He was used somewhat more sparingly the following season, making 23 appearances. In Albacete's last league match of the year, against Atlético Madrid at Vicente Calderón Stadium, Sotero was sent off with eight minutes to play, and Albacete lost 2–0. The loss meant that they faced yet another relegation playoff, but the red card meant Sotero would miss it. Albacete lost 1–0 in both legs, and with no repeat of the previous year's reprieve were relegated. Sotero left the club at the end of the season after 101 matches in six years, but Logroñés finished bottom of the table in 22nd place, a massive twelve points from safety, and Sotero suffered a second consecutive relegation as the club returned to the Segunda División after a single year in the top fight.

Sotero fell dramatically out of favour the following year, playing just three times in all competitions, and not at all after a 5–0 defeat by Elche at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero on 20 September. This proved to be his last appearance for the club. Once again, he marked his final match for the club, a 2–1 home win over Real Betis B on 7 April, with a red card; his third of the season. The following season brought 24 appearances, but following a 4–0 defeat by Hércules at Estadio José Rico Pérez on the final day of the season, Palamós found themselves bottom of the table, and were relegated back to the Tercera División. Sotero left the club that summer. He saw out his career with a season apiece at Motril and Quintanar del Rey, before retiring in 2008. This was his only appearance for the Under-21s, and he was never called up to the Spain senior side.

Honours Albacete Balompié Segunda División: 1990–91

Ibiza Tercera División: 1991–92

Mérida UD Tercera División: 2004–05

Puertollano Tercera División: 2005–06 Copa Federación de España: 2005–06

Career statistics Club

1. Appearances in the 1994–95 La Liga relegation play-offs

International Source:

+ Appearances and goals by national team and year National teamYearAppsGoalsSpain Under-21199310