Sotero López

Sotero López Clemente (born 12 August 1972) is a Spanish former footballer who could play as a left back or centre back.

He began his career with Albacete Balompié, and played 104 La Liga matches for that club and Logroñés during the 1990s. He made one appearance in the Spain Under-21 national side in 1993.

Albacete Balompié
Sotero was born in Albacete in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, and began his career with local club Albacete Balompié. He made his debut in the third round of the 1990–91 Copa del Rey, in a 3–3 away draw with Águilas on 8 November, which was his only appearance of that season. He wasn't involved as Albacete won the Segunda División, and earned promotion to La Liga for the first time in their history. He spent the first part of the following season on loan at Ibiza, who ultimately won their group in that year's Tercera División. His spell at Ibiza included a stunning 11–0 home win over Cala d'Or in the first round of the Copa del Rey on 25 August.

On his return to Albacete, he made his La Liga debut in a 3–1 away loss to Real Burgos at Estadio El Plantío on 26 April. He kept his place for his home debut a week later, in a 1–0 win over Real Mallorca at Estadio Carlos Belmonte. He ultimately played six matches for Albacete that season. He continued to be used as a fringe player over the next two seasons, making 18 appearances in all competitions in 1992–93, as Albacete escaped relegation thanks only to a playoff victory over Real Mallorca, and just seven the following year.

1994–95 would be Sotero's best season for the club. He played 46 matches in all competitions in what was a rather mixed year for Albacete. They reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey before eventually losing to Valencia, but 17th in the league meant they once again faced a relegation playoff. Sotero played in both legs of the 5–2 aggregate defeat by Salamanca, although an administration scandal involving Sevilla and Celta Vigo ultimately earned them a reprieve from relegation.

He was used somewhat more sparingly the following season, making 23 appearances. In Albacete's last league match of the year, against Atlético Madrid at Vicente Calderón Stadium, Sotero was sent off with eight minutes to play, and Albacete lost 2–0. The loss meant that they faced yet another relegation playoff, but the red card meant Sotero would miss it. Albacete lost 1–0 in both legs, and with no repeat of the previous year's reprieve were relegated. Sotero left the club at the end of the season after 101 matches in six years, meaning his Atlético sending off was his last act for the club.

Logroñés
Seeking to remain in La Liga, Sotero joined newly-promoted Logroñés ahead of the 1996–97 season. He made his debut in a 2–1 away win over Compostela at Estadio Multiusos de San Lázaro on 15 September, and made his home debut at Estadio Las Gaunas six days later in a 3–0 defeat by Atlético Madrid. He made 23 appearances in all competitions that year, but Logroñés finished bottom of the table in 22nd place, a massive twelve points from safety, and Sotero suffered a second consecutive relegation as the club returned to the Segunda División after a single year in the top fight.

Sotero fell dramatically out of favour the following year, playing just three times in all competitions, and not at all after a 5–0 defeat by Elche at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero on 20 September. This proved to be his last appearance for the club.

Yeclano and Algeciras CF
After leaving Logroñés, Sotero joined Yeclano, before signing for Algeciras CF in 2001. His debut for the Segunda División B club came on the opening day of the season in a 1–0 home loss against Ceuta at Estadio Nuevo Mirador on 2 September, and he made a total of 24 appearances in what turned out to be his only season with the club. Once again, he marked his final match for the club, a 2–1 home win over Real Betis B on 7 April, with a red card; his third of the season.

Palamós
Sotero joined another Segunda División B club, Palamós, for the 2002–03 season. His debut for the Catalonian side, newly promoted from the Tercera División, came in the first match of the season, a 1–1 home draw with L'Hospitalet at Nou Estadi de Palamós on 1 September. He played 30 matches that year, and even scored an exceptionally rare goal, in a 2–2 draw with Castellón at Nou Estadi Castàlia on 6 December. The following season brought 24 appearances, but following a 4–0 defeat by Hércules at Estadio José Rico Pérez on the final day of the season, Palamós found themselves bottom of the table, and were relegated back to the Tercera División. Sotero left the club that summer.

Later career
After leaving Palamós, Sotero played one season each with Mérida UD and Puertollano, winning Tercera División group titles with both clubs. He was also part of the Puertollano team that won the 2005–06 Copa Federación de España. He saw out his career with a season apiece at Motril and Quintanar del Rey, before retiring in 2008.

International career
Sotero played in the Spain Under-21 national team in a 2–0 friendly win over Greece at Estadio Colombino in Huelva on 23 February 1993. This was his only appearance for the Under-21s, and he was never called up to the Spain senior side.

Honours
Albacete Balompié
 * Segunda División: 1990–91

Ibiza
 * Tercera División: 1991–92

Mérida UD
 * Tercera División: 2004–05

Puertollano
 * Tercera División: 2005–06
 * Copa Federación de España: 2005–06

Club

 * 1. Appearances in the 1994–95 La Liga relegation play-offs

International
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