.jpg) Gabi withAtlético Madrid in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gabriel Luis Fernández Arenas[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1983-07-10)10 July 1983 (age 42)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| San Eladio | |||
| Atlético Madrid | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2004 | Atlético Madrid B | 46 | (4) |
| 2004–2007 | Atlético Madrid | 58 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | →Getafe (loan) | 32 | (2) |
| 2007–2011 | Zaragoza | 135 | (16) |
| 2011–2018 | Atlético Madrid | 239 | (6) |
| 2018–2020 | Al Sadd | 35 | (0) |
| Total | 545 | (29) | |
| International career | |||
| 2003 | Spain U20 | 7 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Spain U21 | 12 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2023 | Getafe (youth) | ||
| 2023–2025 | Getafe B | ||
| 2025 | Zaragoza | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gabriel Luis Fernández Arenas (Spanish pronunciation:[ɡaˈβɾjelfeɾˈnandeθaˈɾenas]; born 10 July 1983), known asGabi ([ˈɡaβi]), is a Spanish former professionalfootballer who played as adefensive midfielder, currently amanager.
He made 429La Liga appearances, mostly in two spells atAtlético Madrid interspersed with a period atZaragoza, winning domestic and European silverware with the former; during his ten-year stint at the club, he amassed competitive totals of 417 matches and ten goals. He also competed professionally in Qatar, withAl Sadd.[3][4]
Gabi representedSpain at youth level.
Gabi was born inMadrid. A product ofAtlético Madrid's youth system, he was seldom used during hisdebut season with theColchoneros' first team.[5]
After a loan to another club in the capital,Getafe CF,[6] Gabi would make 52La Liga appearances for the club from2005 to2007, scoring his only goal in a 1–1 away draw againstRCD Espanyol on 9 April 2006.[7]
In early February 2007, Gabi joinedReal Zaragoza on a€9 million transfer, agreeing to a four-year contract effective as of July.[8] He was an undisputed starter in hisfirst year, but theAragonese were relegated from the top flight.[9]
Defensive-minded Gabi netted four times in 35 games in the2008–09 campaign, as his team immediately regained their lost status. In thefollowing season he again was first choice, helping to a final 14th position.[9]
Again a starter in the2010–11, only missing matches due to suspension, Gabi scored a career-best ten goals as Zaragoza again escaped relegation,[10] six frompenalties – he was also theircaptain.[6] On 12 March 2011, he scored twice from the spot in a 4–0 home win againstValencia CF.[11] On 30 April, he converted a penalty in a 3–2 victory away toReal Madrid[12] and, on the last matchday, scored twice from open play in a 2–1 win atLevante UD that secured his team's top-flight status.[13]
On 1 July 2011, Gabi returned to Atlético Madrid on a transfer fee of around €3 million.[14][6] He scored his first goal for the team on 4 December, in a 3–1 home win overRayo Vallecano – adding one in hisown net[15]– and started most of thefirst season in his second spell, partnering fellow youth graduateMario Suárez in defensive midfield.[16]
Gabi played 45 official matches in the2012–13 campaign, including seven in the side'svictorious run in theCopa del Rey, the first in 17 years.[17] He was also selected by managerDiego Simeone as the new captain.[18]
On 17 May 2014, in the away match toFC Barcelona that was the last ofthe season, Gabi took a 49th-minutecorner kick which was headed in byDiego Godín to equalise 1–1, and give Atlético its first league title since 1996.[19] On 4 July, he signed a new contract that kept him at the club until 2017.[20]
In the second leg of adomestic cup quarter-final against Barcelona on 28 January 2015, Gabi wassent off in the tunnel at the end of the first half. His midfield partner Suárez was also dismissed later on, in an eventual 2–3 home defeat.[21] On 7 October 2016, the 33-year-old inked a new contract until June 2018, commenting on the deal: "I always say that playing with Atlético de Madrid was my childhood dream, so I cannot ask for more than what I am living these years."[22]
Gabi scored his first goal ofthe season – from 49 appearances – on 16 May 2018,[23] netting from close range after anassist fromKoke in the last minute of theEuropa League final againstOlympique de Marseille, a 3–0 win inLyon.[24]
Gabi moved abroad for the first time on 2 July 2018, signing a two-year contract atQatar Stars League clubAl Sadd SC.[25][26] He partnered veteran compatriotXavi in midfield, and won the league in theirfirst season together.[27]
On 15 June 2020, Gabi left theJassim bin Hamad Stadium.[28] On 29 November, he announced his retirement aged 37.[29]
Gabi was selected inJosé Ufarte'sSpain squad at the2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, finishing as runners-up toBrazil. He scored the first goal of their opening game, a 2–1 loss toArgentina inSharjah.[30]
In July 2023, Gabi was named manager of Getafe'sJuvenil B squad.[31] On 13 November, he took over theB team in theSegunda Federación after the dismissal ofEmilio Ferreras.[32]
Gabi returned to Zaragoza on 17 March 2025, being appointed first-team head coach in place ofMiguel Ángel Ramírez.[33][34] He managed toavoid second-tier relegation at 51 points,[35] but was sacked on 12 October after a poor start to thenew season saw them placed bottom of the table.[36][37]
Known for histackling ability as well as his combativeness and hard work, Gabi could both break down opposition attack and dictate play with the ball with equal effectiveness. He was also known to be proficient when in possession, capable of delivering through balls and distributing the ball at both long and short lengths.[38]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 2003–04 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2004–05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2005–06 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 1 | |||||
| 2006–07 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 22 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 58 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 65 | 1 | ||||
| Getafe (loan) | 2004–05 | La Liga | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 2 | |||
| Zaragoza | 2007–08 | La Liga | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | — | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Segunda División | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 4 | ||||
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 1 | ||||
| 2010–11 | 36 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 38 | 11 | |||||
| Total | 135 | 16 | 7 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 144 | 16 | ||||
| Atlético Madrid | 2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 17[b] | 1 | — | 49 | 3 | ||
| 2012–13 | 35 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 46 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | 36 | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | 12[d] | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 57 | 3 | |||
| 2014–15 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 7[d] | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 48 | 1 | |||
| 2015–16 | 35 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 13[d] | 0 | — | 51 | 1 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 11[d] | 0 | — | 50 | 0 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 13[f] | 1 | — | 50 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 239 | 6 | 33 | 1 | — | 75 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 352 | 9 | |||
| Al Sadd | 2018–19 | Qatar Stars League | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9[g] | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8[g] | 0 | 6[h] | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| Total | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 67 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 499 | 24 | 51 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 97 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 662 | 28 | ||
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Getafe B |  | 13 November 2023 | 17 March 2025 | 52 | 26 | 16 | 10 | 73 | 45 | +28 | 050.00 | [42] |
| Zaragoza | | 17 March 2025 | 12 October 2025 | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 20 | 31 | −11 | 025.00 | [43] |
| Total | 72 | 31 | 22 | 19 | 93 | 76 | +17 | 043.06 | — | |||
Atlético Madrid
Al Sadd
Spain U20
Individual
