Javi Varas

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Varasand the second or maternal family name is Herrera.

Javi Varas

Varas with Celta in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Javier Varas Herrera [1]
Date of birth	(1982-09-10) 10 September 1982 (age 43) [1]
Place of birth	Seville, Spain
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1993–1999	Pablo Blanco
1999–2001	AD Nervión
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2003	AD Nervión
2003–2008	Sevilla B	81	(0)
2003–2004	→ San José (loan)
2004–2005	→ Alcalá (loan)	20	(0)
2008–2014	Sevilla	60	(0)
2012–2013	→ Celta (loan)	35	(0)
2014–2015	Valladolid	38	(0)
2015–2017	Las Palmas	56	(0)
2017–2018	Granada	38	(0)
2019	Huesca	0	(0)
Total		328	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Javier 'Javi' Varas Herrera (born 10 September 1982) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He appeared in 151 La Liga matches over eight seasons, in representation of Sevilla, Celta and Las Palmas. He added 117 games in the Segunda División, in a 18-year senior career.

Club career

Sevilla

Born in Seville, Andalusia, ^[2] Varas arrived at Sevilla FC aged 23 after having only played amateur football in his native region (although he had been bought by the club two years earlier). He spent his first three seasons with the B team, contributing 15 games in 2006–07 as they were promoted to Segunda División for the first time ever, ^[3] and occasionally training with the main squad. ^[4]

After David Cobeño moved to Rayo Vallecano, Varas became Andrés Palop's backup, making his La Liga debut on 17 January 2009 in a 1–0 home win against CD Numancia. ^[5] For a full month, following an injury to the latter in October, he was again called on for starting duties, ^[6] only conceding once in four matches, in the 3–1 away victory over VfB Stuttgart for that campaign's UEFA Champions League. ^[7]

Varas became Sevilla's first choice midway through 2010–11, over the 37-year-old Palop. He appeared in 21 games as the side finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League. ^{[8] [9]}

Under new manager Marcelino García Toral, Varas continued as a regular starter. ^[10] On 22 October 2011, he put on a Player of the match performance against FC Barcelona, saving eight shots – including an injury-time penalty from Lionel Messi – in an eventual 0–0 away draw. ^[11]

Varas lost his importance in the following years, following the arrival of Portuguese Beto in January 2013. ^[12] He made nine appearances as Sevilla won the 2013–14 Europa League, but was an unused substitute in the decisive match itself. ^[13]

Valladolid

On 25 August 2014, Varas joined Real Valladolid on a one-year contract. ^[14] He only missed four league matches in his only season, as his team narrowly missed out on play-off promotion. ^[15]

Later career

On 12 July 2015, Varas signed a two-year deal with UD Las Palmas, newly promoted to the top division. ^[16] On 13 June 2017, after having contributed to their consecutive permanence, the free agent returned to the second tier and his native region by agreeing to a two-year contract at Granada CF. ^[17]

Varas joined SD Huesca on 19 February 2019, for the remainder of the top-flight campaign. ^[18] In October, he announced his retirement at the age of 37. ^[19]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ^{[20] [1]}

Club	Season	League			National cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sevilla B	2005–06	Segunda División B	27	0	—		—		3 [a]	0	30	0
	2006–07		13	0	—		—		2 [a]	0	15	0
	2007–08	Segunda División	41	0	—		—		—		41	0
	Total		81	0	0	0	—		5	0	86	0
Alcalá (loan)	2004–05	Segunda División B	20	0	1	0	—		—		21	0
Sevilla	2006–07	La Liga	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2008–09		3	0	2	0	0	0	—		5	0
	2009–10		5	0	3	0	3 [b]	0	—		11	0
	2010–11		21	0	5	0	2 [c]	0	0	0	28	0
	2011–12		25	0	3	0	0	0	—		28	0
	2013–14		6	0	2	0	9 [c]	0	—		17	0
	Total		60	0	14	0	14	0	0	0	88	0
Celta (loan)	2012–13	La Liga	35	0	0	0	—		—		35	0
Valladolid	2014–15	Segunda División	38	0	1	0	—		2 [d]	0	41	0
Las Palmas	2015–16	La Liga	31	0	0	0	—		—		31	0
	2016–17		25	0	0	0	—		—		25	0
	Total		56	0	0	0	—		—		56	0
Granada	2017–18	Segunda División	38	0	0	0	—		—		38	0
Career total			328	0	15	0	14	0	7	0	364	0

1. Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
4. Appearances in La Liga play-offs

Honours

Sevilla B

• Segunda División B: 2006–07 ^[21]

Sevilla

• Copa del Rey: 2009–10 ^[22]
• UEFA Europa League: 2013–14 ^[13]

References

1. Javi Varas at WorldFootball.net
2. Izquierdo, Jesús (23 September 2015). "Javi Varas se enfrenta a su pasado como sevillista" [Javi Varas takes on his past as sevillista]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 January 2026.
3. Conde, J. (15 June 2012). "El Celta quiere al portero Javi Varas" [Celta want goalkeeper Javi Varas]. Faro de Vigo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
4. "Juande cree que el Sevilla ya no es ninguna sorpresa" [Juande believes Sevilla are no surprise anymore]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 5 January 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
5. Bernaola, Enrique (17 January 2009). "Renato rescata un barco a la deriva" [Renato rescues drifting boat]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 May 2014.
6. Arrocha, Roberto (23 October 2009). "Javi Varas y las vueltas que da la vida" [Javi Varas and the unpredictability of life]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 May 2014.
7. "Squillaci nets brace". ESPN Soccernet. 20 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
8. García, Basilio (12 July 2011). "¿Andrés Palop o Javi Varas?" [Andrés Palop or Javi Varas?]. El Correo de Andalucía (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
9. Pinilla, Daniel (15 March 2012). "Manzano: "Si Monchi me mintió lo hizo al entrenador del Sevilla"" [Manzano: "If Monchi lied to me he did so to the manager of Sevilla"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
10. Florido, Eduardo (1 March 2019). "Javi Varas: el hombre que quitó la titularidad a Palop" [Javi Varas: the man who took Palop's starting spot]. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2021.
11. "Barca held in dramatic fashion". ESPN Soccernet. 22 October 2011. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
12. Alba, Jesús (12 March 2014). "¿El portero titular o el portero titular?" [Starting goalkeeper or starting goalkeeper?]. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 May 2014.
13. Atkin, John (14 May 2014). "Spot-on Sevilla leave Benfica dreams in tatters". UEFA. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
14. "Javi Varas recoge los guantes del Pucela" [Javi Varas takes the gloves of Pucela] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
15. Sanz, Sergio (21 June 2015). "Javi Varas y diez más" [Javi Varas and ten more] (in Spanish). Blanquivioletas. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
16. "La UD Las Palmas ficha al portero Javi Varas por dos temporadas" [UD Las Palmas sign goalkeeper Javi Varas for two seasons] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 12 July 2015. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
17. Morales, Aguilera (13 June 2017). "El Granada ficha a Javi Varas para las dos próximas temporadas" [Granada sign Javi Varas for next two seasons]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
18. "Javi Varas, experiencia para la portería" [Javi Varas, experience for goal] (in Spanish). SD Huesca. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
19. "Javi Varas anuncia su retirada" [Javi Varas announces his retirement]. Estadio Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 October 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
20. Javi Varas at Soccerway
21. Casariego, Eva (27 October 2007). "Ha hecho del Sevilla Atlético el mejor filial de España" [He turned Sevilla Atlético into the best reserves in Spain]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2026.
22. Besa, Ramón (19 May 2010). "Ganó el serio, cayó el alegre" [Serious won, playful lost]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 January 2026.

External links

• Javi Varas at BDFutbol