Nano (Spanish footballer born 1980)

Nano

Personal information
Full name	Victoriano Rivas Álvaro
Date of birth	7 July 1980 (1980-07-07) (age 31)
Place of birth	Ciudad Real, Spain
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Levante
Number	3
Youth career
	Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–2000	Amorós
2000–2002	Atlético B	50	(1)
2002–2005	Getafe	97	(7)
2005–2010	Betis	42	(2)
2008–2009	→ Valladolid (loan)	12	(0)
2010–	Levante	43	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Rivas and the second or maternal family name is Álvaro.

Victoriano Rivas Álvaro, aka Nano (born 7 July 1980 in Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Levante UD in La Liga, mainly as a (left-footed) central defender.

Club career

Nano spent two full seasons with Atlético Madrid's B team, playing 50 matches and scoring once for the third division side. In 2002–03, he was loaned to Getafe CF, then in the second level, before moving the team on a permanent deal in the summer of 2003. An undisputed starter with the Madrid outskirts team, he scored four goals in 37 outings in the 2004–05 season, the club's first ever in La Liga.

Nano was signed by Real Betis in 2005.^[1] He was set to have a promising season before being injured in the November 11 UEFA Champions League group stage match against Chelsea at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, in his first and only appearance in the competition, as he was ruled out of action for five months. He also appeared in one UEFA Cup match and made 14 league appearances in his first season, and played a further 21 league encounters for a team that finished 16th in 2006–07.

Established as first-choice stopper alongside veteran Juanito in 2007–08, Nano scored in the first matchday against Recreativo de Huelva (1–1 away draw), but suffered a severe knee injury against Deportivo de La Coruña on September 16, 2007, which made him miss six months of action.^[2] Upon return from injury, he scored another important goal, in a 1–1 tie at former club Getafe, on 18 May 2008.

On 1 September 2008, a one-year loan deal was agreed, as Nano joined Real Valladolid in a season-long move. He appeared scarcely throughout his spell, as both central and left defender, and his return to Betis would be even more unassuming, as it consisted of one league match (18 minutes), with the Andalusians failing to return to the top division.

In August 2010, aged 30, Nano signed with Levante UD.^[3] An automatic first-choice during his first season, he scored in a 2–0 home win against Atlético Madrid, on 4 December.^[4]

References

1. ^ Double signing for Betis; UEFA.com, 18 July 2005
2. ^ Betis: Operan a Nano y baja de 6 a 8 meses (Betis: Nano undergoes knee surgery; to miss 6-8 months); ESPN Soccernet, 24 September 2007 (Spanish)
3. ^ El Levante UD ficha al central Victoriano Rivas “Nano” (Levante UD signs central defender Victoriano Rivas “Nano”); Levante's official website, 17 August 2010 (Spanish)
4. ^ More woe for Atletico; ESPN Soccernet, 4 December 2010

External links

• Levante official profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Transfermarkt profile

Persondata
Name	Nano
Alternative names	Victoriano Rivas Álvaro
Short description	Footballer
Date of birth	7 July 1980
Place of birth	Ciudad Real, Spain
Date of death
Place of death