Sergio Matabuena Delgado (born 12 February 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
Club career Matabuena was born in Santander, Cantabria. A product of his hometown club Racing de Santander's youth system, he made his debut in La Liga on 17 November 2002 in a 1–2 home loss against RCD Mallorca,El Mallorca agranda su récord (Mallorca extend record); El País, 18 November 2002 (in Spanish) and scored his first goals in the following season.Atlético, punto y seguido (Atlético, check please); Mundo Deportivo, 21 December 2003 (in Spanish)La 'bestia' Baptista se come al Racing ('Beast' Baptista eats Racing up); Mundo Deportivo, 19 April 2004 (in Spanish)
Never an undisputed starter, Matabuena would be a mere training partner upon Gonzalo Colsa's return to Racing in 2006 and, after only five appearances during 2006–07, he moved to Sporting de Gijón in the Segunda División, being instrumental in helping them achieve a 2008 top-flight return. In a campaign in which he collected 14 yellow cards (also netting two late goals in a 2–2 draw at Córdoba CF),Matabuena salva al Sporting en Córdoba (Matabuena rescues Sporting in Córdoba); Marca, 6 January 2008 (in Spanish) he earned the affectionate nickname "Matabuena Gattuso".Adiós al Gattuso del Sporting (Farewell to Sporting's Gattuso); La Nueva España, 14 January 2011 (in Spanish)«Lo que viví como jugador en el Sporting fue un 'shock', muy fuerte» ("What I experienced as a player at Sporting was a shock, a huge one"); El Comercio, 12 February 2020 (in Spanish)
Matabuena appeared significantly less in the following top-tier seasons – 14 matches in 2009–10 – being only second or third-choice holding midfielder. On 13 January 2011, aged 32, he returned to the second division and signed for Real Valladolid.Matabuena rescinde su contrato con el Sporting para fichar por el Valladolid (Matabuena terminates his contract with Sporting to sign for Valladolid); Marca, 13 January 2011 (in Spanish)
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