Ezequiel Garay

Ezequiel Marcelo Garay (born 10 October 1986 in Rosario, Santa Fe) is an Argentine footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, as a central defender.

Club career

Early years

At the early age of 18, Garay made his professional debut for hometown club Newell's Old Boys, in the Argentine top division. His first match was against Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, as the Rosario side eventually clinched the Apertura championship.

Garay made another 12 league appearances for Newell's, scoring his first and only goal for the club in the local derby against Rosario Central, a 2–1 win.

Racing Santander

In December 2005, Garay joined La Liga side Racing de Santander, helping with seven complete matches as the Cantabria side barely avoided relegation (17th). His first full season was nothing short of spectacular, as he netted nine league goals in 31 matches, being the second top scorer in his position in Europe's major leagues, only behind F.C. Internazionale Milano's Marco Materazzi (ten); against Real Madrid only, he found the net three times - 2–1 home win (both through penalties, as well as five other goals) and 1–3 away loss, as Racing eventually finished 10th, the club's best since returning to the top flight in 2002.

On 19 March 2008, in the Copa del Rey semifinal match against Getafe CF, Garay suffered a serious leg injury which put him out of action for the remainder of the......
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