AE
Alfonso Espino
Left-Back / Uruguay / Rio Ave FC
45 OVR
Profile
Key strength: Pace and recovery
Overlapping full-back
At 34, Alfonso Espino remains a vital cog in Rayo Vallecano's fight against relegation, with the Madrid club currently languishing in 18th place. The veteran Uruguayan left-back has clocked 1,314 minutes across 26 appearances this season - an impressive workload for his age - while chipping in with 3 goals and 1 assist from defensive territory. Deployed as an overlapping full-back, Espino leverages his pace and defensive recovery to balance attack and defense, though his FIFA ratings (45 pace, 55 defending) reflect the physical limitations of his advancing years. Valued at a modest €1.2 million, Espino represents experienced depth in a squad featuring higher-rated talents like Jorge de Frutos (75) and Andrei Rațiu (68). With Rayo Vallecano desperate for points to climb the La Liga table, Espino's consistency and veteran presence could prove crucial in the survival battle ahead.