JAVI VARAS, THE YOUNG SEVILLISTA WHO WENT ON TO BECOME FIRST-TEAM 'KEEPER, RETIRES

Everyone remembers, and will remember him as the goalkeeper who saved a Leo Messi penalty at the Camp Nou, on exactly this day eight years ago. Because of this he will be forever remembered, for what he did on this spectacular night when he made countless saves. However, Javier Varas Herrera was much more than this. He was a dreamer who, even when it seemed difficult, never gave up on his desire to play for Sevilla FC. Today, eight years after that magical night, Pino Montano's goalkeeper has announced his retirement.

Nothing was ever easy for him in his journey. His greatest talent was his perserverance. The little boy who never missed a match in the middle of Gol Norte and who dreamed of being Juan Carlos Unzué, became the first goalkeeper from the academy to play an official game for Sevilla FC in the 21st century. That day took place on the 28th October, 2008.

In the summer of 2008, he was named as a goalkeeper in the first-team squad under Manolo Jiménez

To get to the top, Varas had to overcome a lot. There were moments were his dream of becoming a professional footballer looked bleak, as he combined his career as a non-professional player with administrative work which is where he earned a living. He spent the 2003/04 season on loan at San José, and the 2004/05 season on loan at Alcalá. It was here, at Alcalá, when he first came into the spotlight after having a fantastic penalty shoot-out performance in the Copa del Rey against Betis, and an excellent season overall. Because of this, he was back working under Manolo Jiménez during the 2005/06 season. From there, to another magnificent penalty shoot-out; this time, with the taste of victory. This occured in June 2007 whenever Sevilla Atlético were promoted to the Segunda División in Pontevedra. Finally, in the summer of 2008 with Manolo Jiménez in charge of the first team, he selected Varas alongside Andrés Palop as the goalkeepers of the first team.

His first appearance came in the 2008/09 season, and even in the 2009/10 season he didn't play much; even though during this season he made his Champions League debut and won the Copa del Rey. During the 2010/11 season, under the care of Gregorio Manzano, he started to challenge Palop for the number 1 spot, playing very well in a fantastic end to the season. Then, in the 2011/12 season, possibly his defining moment and the best match of his life was played on this date, exactly eight years ago in the Camp Nou. After this, he was loaned to Celta for the 2012/13 season, and then returned home for the next season, 2013/14, just in time to get himself a UEFA Europa League winners medal that very season. After leaving the club for definite, Varas played for Valladolid (2014/15), UD Las Palmas (2015/16 and 2016/17), Granada CF (2017/18) and Huesca (2018/19).  

Javi Varas retires after playing almost 300 top flight matches, and with one UEFA Europa League and one Copa del Rey in his locker

Overall, with Sevilla FC, he won one Copa del Rey and one UEFA Europa League. He played 87 games for his beloved club: 60 in La Liga, 3 in the Champions League, 11 in the Europa League and 13 in the Copa del Rey. Throughout his career at Sevilla Atlético, Sevilla FC, Celta, Valladolid, Las Palmas and Granada, he totalled 298 games. 151 of those games were played in the First Division, with 117 coming in the Second Division. His dream has been achieved. Whenever he was called upon to play for Sevilla, he put his heart and soul into every performance; and, for a goalkeeper of the Nervión side, he starred in one of the most memorable nights in recent memory.