Francisco Javier "Javi" GarcÃÂa Fernández (; born 8 February 1987) is a Spanish former professional footballer. A defensive midfielder by nature, he could also play as a central defender.
He started his career with Real Madrid, but represented mostly the reserve team, going on to have a three-year spell with Benfica in Portugal. In 2012 he signed with Manchester City, then spent a further three seasons in the Russian Premier League with Zenit Saint Petersburg. He returned to Spain with Betis in 2017, and retired at Boavista.
GarcÃÂa represented Spain at various youth levels, including the victorious under-19s at the 2006 European Championship, and made his senior international debut in 2012.
A product of Real Madrid's youth system, GarcÃÂa was born in Mula, Region of Murcia, and played three La Liga matches for the first team while still a junior, making his debut at age 17 in a 5âÂÂ0 home win against Levante on 28 November 2004. After that, he spent the entire 2005âÂÂ06 season with the reserves in the Segunda División.
The summer of 2006 was a very busy one for GarcÃÂa: first, he won the UEFA European Championship with the under-19s, impressing first-team head coach Fabio Capello who called him to training sessions. He played most of Real's pre-season games, including a starting line-up spot in both Ramón de Carranza Trophy fixtures, being deployed in central midfield alongside new purchase Emerson.
In August 2007, GarcÃÂa was supposed to be definitively promoted to the first team, but head coach Bernd Schuster deemed him surplus to requirements alongside fellow cantera players Rubén de la Red and Esteban Granero. GarcÃÂa would finally settle for Osasuna on 31 August, signing for four seasons for a â¬2.5 million transfer fee as the Navarre side was keen to replace injury-struck midfielder Javad Nekounam (out of action for several months); having first appeared in a 0âÂÂ0 home draw with Barcelona, where he featured 90 minutes, he scored twice in his first six matches, in victories over Levante (4âÂÂ1) and Villarreal (3âÂÂ2).
GarcÃÂa's contract included a buy-back clause that could see him return to Real Madrid for â¬4 million. On 29 April 2008, Osasuna officially reported that the former had exercised their purchase option, and the player returned to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for 2008âÂÂ09; he made his first league appearance for Real in his second spell during the 7âÂÂ1 thrashing of Sporting de Gijón on 24 September, coming on as a second-half substitute for Mahamadou Diarra.
Deemed surplus to requirements at Real Madrid, GarcÃÂa signed for Benfica in Portugal on 21 July 2009 on a five-year contract for a â¬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 1ú de Maio at home, as the club clung onto the top position on 9 November and eventually won the Primeira Liga.
GarcÃÂa made 39 competitive appearances in 2011âÂÂ12. His two goals of the campaign came against Sporting CP in the Lisbon derby 1âÂÂ0 home win, and at Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League â in the latter, he netted off a corner kick in the 85th minute to make it 1âÂÂ1, but ten-men Benfica lost 2âÂÂ1 and 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
On 31 August 2012, GarcÃÂa joined Manchester City for ã15.8 million. He made his Premier League debut on 15 September in a 1âÂÂ1 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, GarcÃÂa missed several weeks of action. He made his return against West Ham United, replacing Tevez in the 84th minute of a 0âÂÂ0 draw at Upton Park. On 15 December, he started in a 3âÂÂ1 victory at Newcastle United and scored his side's second goal.
On 13 August 2014, Zenit Saint Petersburg announced the ã13 million signing of GarcÃÂa 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.
GarcÃÂa played 24 matches in the 2014âÂÂ15 season, scoring three times as the side won the fifth national championship in their history (fourth under the tournament's new denomination).
On 14 August 2017, the 30-year-old GarcÃÂa returned to Spain after eight years to join Real Betis. He totalled 64 games for the team from the Estadio Benito VillamarÃÂn over three seasons, scoring once in a 3âÂÂ1 away win against Alavés on 12 March 2018 and being sent off the following 10 February in a 3âÂÂ0 loss at Leganés.
GarcÃÂa signed a new two-year contract with the Andalusians on 5 July 2019.
After mutually terminating his contract with Betis, GarcÃÂa 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 2âÂÂ2 draw at Famalicão, in which he was sent off.
On 22 June 2022, the 35-year-old GarcÃÂa retired. Remaining in Portugal, he immediately went back to Benfica and joined the staff of new manager Roger Schmidt.
GarcÃÂa represented the Spain national under-21 team at the 2009 UEFA European Championship, appearing against England (2âÂÂ0 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 2âÂÂ0 friendly win over Serbia in St. Gallen.
Real Madrid B
Real Madrid
Benfica
Manchester City
Zenit Saint Petersburg
Spain U19