{{short description|Spanish footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{family name hatnote|Castellano|Betancor|lang=Spanish}} {{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 = Recreativo | clubnumber = 18 | 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 = 2024–2025 | clubs10 = Panachaiki | caps10 = 16 | goals10 = 1 | years11 = 2025– | clubs11 = Recreativo | caps11 = 16 | goals11 = 0 | totalcaps = | totalgoals = | club-update = 7 May 2026 }} '''Javier 'Javi' Castellano Betancor''' (born 2 November 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Segunda Federación club Recreativo de Huelva.
==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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
On 31 January 2008, Castellano moved to another reserve team, RCD Mallorca B also in the fourth division.<ref>{{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}}</ref> On 14 August, he was loaned to Segunda División B club Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa in a season-long deal.<ref>{{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}}{{Dead link|date=January 2026|bot=InternetArchiveBot}}</ref>
After another loan stints at Albacete Balompié<ref>{{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}}</ref> and Real Unión,<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> It was his only appearance of the campaign, due to a serious knee injury.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>
==Personal life== Castellano's twin brother, Daniel, was also a footballer and a midfielder. He too represented Las Palmas.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{BDFutbol|12656}} *{{Soccerway|javi-castellano-javi-castellano/62781}}
{{Recreativo de Huelva squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castellano, Javi}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Spanish twins Category:21st-century Spanish sportsmen Category:Spanish men's footballers Category:Footballers from Las Palmas Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:La Liga players Category:Segunda División players Category:Segunda División B players Category:Tercera División players Category:Primera Federación players Category:Segunda Federación players Category:UD Las Palmas Atlético players Category:RCD Mallorca B players Category:Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa players Category:Albacete Balompié players Category:Real Unión footballers Category:UD Las Palmas players Category:UD Logroñés players Category:SD Logroñés players Category:Recreativo de Huelva players Category:Super League Greece 2 players Category:Panachaiki F.C. players Category:Spanish expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Greece