Liverpool FC player profile - Albert Riera

Albert Riera Ortega, the Liverpool FC and Spain footballer better known as simply Albert Riera, was born on April 15 1982 in Manacor, Majorca. Albert Riera began his footballing career on his home island of Majorca in 1999 when he joined the RCD Mallorca youth team. After a year the left winger progressed to the senior squad winning a Spanish Cup medal in 2003. Albert Riera scored 6 goals in 46 appearances with RCD Mallorca up until his move to French side FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the summer of 2003. Albert Riera remained with the Ligue 1 side for two seasons where he made 53 appearances and scored 4 goals before returning to his native Spain and signing for RCD Espanyol. Albert Riera's first season back in Spain saw him play only eight league matches which led to him being loaned to Premier League side Manchester City at the beginning of 2006. Despite Albert Riera making 15 appearances, and scoring 1 goal, he didn't really establish himself with the English side and returned to RCD Espanyol at the end of the 05/06 season.

Albert Riera's second stint with RCD Espanyol proved to be more successful and over the folllowing two seasons he made a further 60+ appearances and helped the Spanish club reach the UEFA Cup final, he scored in the final which they eventually lost on penalties to Sevilla FC. Albert Riera's international career began in 2007 when he was included in the Spanish squad for a Euro 2008 qualifying game against Denmark. During this debut Albert Riera scored in a match which Spain won 3-1, however he was not included in the squad for the Euro 2008 finals which Spain eventually won. At the beginning of the 08/09 season there was much speculation about the future of the left winger and on 1st September 2008 it was announced that Albert Riera had signed a four-year deal with Premier League club Liverpool FC. The transfer fee paid by the merseyside club was thought to be somewhere in the region of £6 million, less than two weeks later on 13th September 2008 Albert Riera made his Liverpool FC debut in a Premier League match which they won 2-1 against Manchester United.