Javi Castellano

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Javi Castellano

| image =

| fullname = Javier Castellano Betancor

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|11|2|df=y}}

| birth_place = Las Palmas, Spain

| height = {{convert|1.85|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Defensive midfielder

| currentclub = Panachaiki

| clubnumber = 8

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Las Palmas

| years1 = 2006–2008 | clubs1 = Las Palmas B | caps1 = 28 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2008–2011 | clubs2 = Mallorca B | caps2 = 14 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2008–2009 | clubs3 = → Cultural Leonesa (loan) | caps3 = 36 | goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2009 | clubs4 = → Albacete (loan) | caps4 = 3 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2010–2011 | clubs5 = → Real Unión (loan) | caps5 = 35 | goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2011–2021 | clubs6 = Las Palmas | caps6 = 223 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2021–2022 | clubs7 = UD Logroñés | caps7 = 30 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2023 | clubs8 = Atlético Paso | caps8 = 15 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2023–2024 | clubs9 = SD Logroñés | caps9 = 32 | goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2024– | clubs10 = Panachaiki | caps10 = 14 | goals10 = 1

| totalcaps = | totalgoals =

| club-update = 15:41, 28 March 2025 (UTC)

}}

Javier 'Javi' Castellano Betancor (born 2 November 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Super League Greece 2 club Panachaiki.

Club career

Born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Castellano graduated from UD Las Palmas' youth setup, and made his senior debut with the reserves in 2006, in the Tercera División. On 2 January 2008 he appeared in his first game as a professional, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 away loss against Villarreal CF in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.{{cite news|url=http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/copa_del_rey/previaxcronica/es/desarrollo/1073878.html|title=El Villarreal suda para ganar a Las Palmas|trans-title=Villarreal sweat it to defeat Las Palmas|newspaper=Marca|language=es|date=2 January 2008|access-date=29 June 2015}}

On 31 January 2008, Castellano moved to another reserve team, RCD Mallorca B also in the fourth division.{{cite web|url=http://www.joinfutbol.com/es/el_mallorca_contrata_los_servicios_de_los_gemelos_castellano__7348.php|title=El Mallorca ficha a los gemelos Castellano de Las Palmas|trans-title=Mallorca sign the Castellano twins from Las Palmas|publisher=Join Futbol|language=es|date=31 January 2008|access-date=29 June 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702001154/http://www.joinfutbol.com/es/el_mallorca_contrata_los_servicios_de_los_gemelos_castellano__7348.php|archivedate=2 July 2015}} On 14 August, he was loaned to Segunda División B club Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa in a season-long deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.esfutbol.net/espana-2division-b/cultural-leonesa-llega-cedido-javi-castellano-35504|title=Cultural Leonesa: llega cedido Javi Castellano|trans-title=Cultural Leonesa: Javi Castellano arrives on loan|publisher=esFutbol|language=es|date=14 August 2008|access-date=29 June 2015}}

After another loan stints at Albacete Balompié{{cite news|url=http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2009/08/24/mas_futbol/1251064850_850215.html|title=Castellano, nuevo refuerzo del Albacete|trans-title=Castellano, new addition of Albacete|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es|date=24 August 2009|access-date=29 June 2015}} and Real Unión,{{cite web|url=http://www.realunionclub.com/hnot014.aspx?590,Primer+equipo,Acuerdo+para+la+cesi%C3%B3n+de+Javi+Castellano|title=Acuerdo para la cesión de Javi Castellano|trans-title=Agreement for the loan of Javi Castellano|publisher=Real Unión|language=es|date=12 August 2010|access-date=29 June 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918022423/http://www.realunionclub.com/hnot014.aspx?590,Primer+equipo,Acuerdo+para+la+cesi%C3%B3n+de+Javi+Castellano|archive-date=18 September 2017}} Castellano cut ties with the Balearic Islands side in June 2011. Late in the month, he returned to his first club Las Palmas after signing a three-year contract.{{cite news|url=https://www.canarias7.es/hemeroteca/javi_y_dani_castellano_ya_son_jugadores_amarillos_hasta_el_ano_2014-JFCSN219563|title=Javi y Dani Castellano ya son jugadores amarillos hasta el año 2014|trans-title=Javi and Dani Castellano are already amarillo players until 2014|newspaper=Canarias7|language=es|date=29 June 2011|access-date=10 March 2021}}

Castellano played 43 games in the 2014–15 campaign – playoffs included – helping to a return to La Liga after 13 years. He made his debut in the competition on 22 August 2015, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 defeat at Atlético Madrid.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/eventos/marcador/futbol/2015_16/la-liga/jornada_1/atm_pal/|title=Al Atlético le falta|trans-title=Atlético lack something|newspaper=Marca|first=Manuel|last=Malagón|language=es|date=22 August 2015|access-date=23 August 2015}} It was his only appearance of the campaign, due to a serious knee injury.{{cite news|url=http://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/ud-las-palmas/20150824/201380525474/grave-lesion-de-javi-castellano.html|title=Grave lesión de Javi Castellano|trans-title=Serious Javi Castellano injury|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=es|date=24 August 2015|access-date=28 June 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.udlaspalmas.es/noticias/noticia/javi-castellano-cuando-estas-lesionado-solo-el-caminar-te-cambia-la-vida|title=Javi Castellano: "Cuando estás lesionado sólo el caminar te cambia la vida"|trans-title=Javi Castellano: "When one is injured just being able to walk can be life-changing"|publisher=UD Las Palmas|language=es|date=30 March 2016|access-date=28 June 2016}}

Personal life

Castellano's twin brother, Daniel, was also a footballer and a midfielder. He too represented Las Palmas.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2012/02/03/futbol/equipos/las_palmas/1328265936.html|title=Las Palmas presume de una pareja de gemelos|trans-title=Las Palmas boast of set of twins|newspaper=Marca|first=Naré|last=Sánchez|language=es|date=3 February 2012|access-date=23 August 2015}}