Alberto BotÃÂa (; born 27 January 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Super League Greece club A.E. Kifisia.
He made 140 La Liga appearances, mostly for Sporting de Gijón but also Sevilla, Elche and one for Barcelona, where he started his career. Additionally, he spent four years with Olympiacos, winning the Super League Greece three times.
BotÃÂa was born in AlquerÃÂas, Region of Murcia. Aged just eight years old he began playing for Beniel, soon joining neighbours Real Murcia and remaining there for three years. In 2003 he moved to Barcelona, being inserted into its B team after a further three seasons.
In late May 2009 BotÃÂa, alongside fellow youth graduate Marc Muniesa, was first called to the main squad for a UEFA Champions League match against Manchester United. He made his official debut on the 30th, coming on as a second-half substitute for Gerard Piqué in the final game of the campaign, a 1âÂÂ1 away draw against Deportivo de La Coruña.
On 14 July 2009, BotÃÂa was sent to fellow La Liga club Sporting de Gijón on a season-long loan. A regular starter throughout his first year in the top tier, he decided to extend his stay with the Asturians in a four-year deal, with Barcelona keeping a buy-back clause for the first three.
BotÃÂa scored his first top-flight goal on 12 September 2010, opening a 2âÂÂ0 home win over Mallorca. On 14 November, he was sent off in the last minute of a 1âÂÂ0 loss to Real Madrid also at El Molinón for a foul on Cristiano Ronaldo.
On 8 August 2012, following Sporting's relegation, BotÃÂa signed with Sevilla for a fee believed to be in the region of â¬3 million. He was brought in with the help of the Doyen Group, an Anglo-Portuguese investment firm. He made his official debut for his new team 18 days later, playing the second half of a 1âÂÂ1 away draw against Granada.
On 23 February 2013, BotÃÂa put the visitors ahead at former side Barcelona, but in an eventual 2âÂÂ1 loss. For the 2013âÂÂ14 campaign, after 25 official appearances for the Andalusian team, he was loaned to Elche alongside teammates Manu del Moral and Miroslav StevanoviÃÂ.
BotÃÂa's spell at the Estadio MartÃÂnez Valero ended prematurely on 3 May 2014, when he was ejected for kicking the ball at a Málaga player in a 0âÂÂ1 home defeat and then confronted the referee, earning him a two-match suspension.
On 1 August 2014, BotÃÂa joined Greek club Olympiacos on a four-year contract, for â¬2 million. He contributed 26 appearances in all competitions in his debut season, helping them to win the double.
BotÃÂa was also regularly played in 2015âÂÂ16, under new manager Marco Silva. On 25 October 2015, he scored both of his team's goals in a 2âÂÂ1 away victory over Atromitos, becoming the club's first defender to achieve this since Avraam Papadopoulos two years earlier.
On 6 November 2016, BotÃÂa netted the opening goal of a 3âÂÂ0 home defeat of Panathinaikos in the derby of the eternal enemies. His contract was terminated by mutual consent on 4 May 2018.
BotÃÂa became new manager Jorge Jesus' first signing for Al Hilal on 26 June 2018, when the 29-year-old agreed to a two-year deal with the option for a further season. On his debut on 18 August, the club won the Saudi Super Cup with a 2âÂÂ1 win over Al Ittihad at Loftus Road, London.
After the Riyadh-based side finished runners-up to Al Nassr, BotÃÂa left for Al Wehda also of the Saudi Pro League. He scored the equaliser on his debut, a 2âÂÂ1 home loss to Abha Club on 30 August.
In July 2023, aged 34, BotÃÂa returned to the Greek top division with A.E. Kifisia.
On 7 February 2007, BotÃÂa was summoned for the Spain under-19 team, being an unused squad member at the "XXXIII International Atlantic Cup". Almost exactly two years later he received his first under-21 callup, for a friendly with Norway.
On 25 August 2011, BotÃÂa was selected for the first time to the full side by manager Vicente del Bosque, for games against Chile and Liechtenstein. He was included in Luis Milla's squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics, playing the last two matches against Honduras and Morocco as the team were eliminated without scoring a goal.
In 2017, BotÃÂa began a relationship with Eleni Foureira, an Albanian singer who represented Cyprus at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. Their son was born in 2023.
Barcelona
Olympiacos
Al-Hilal
Spain U20
Spain U21