Odei Onaindia Zabala, a calm and composed Spanish defender, leaves Hyderabad FC after his second stint at the club comes to an end. Onaindia spent more than a decade playing for various clubs across the Spanish leagues. He completed all the signing formalities and is all set to be introduced as a new FC Goa player.
Odei Onaindia has bid farewell to his teammates after his tremendous season for Hyderabad FC ended. He will reunite with his former boss, Manuel Márquez Roca. He has played a vital role in helping his team to reach the semi-finals and in securing a second-place finish in the ISL league table.
A Top-Quality Foreign Centre Back: Odei Onaindia:
Born and brought up in Lekeitio,Spain, Odei Onaindia started his youth career at Athletic Bilbao. Later, the 33-year-old defender represented clubs like Basconia, Durango, Bilbao Athletic, Mirandes, etc. He joined the Nizams twice, in 2020–21 and in 2022–23. He also had more than 200 appearances in Segunda Division B.
The Spaniard has been instrumental in Manalo’s possession-based strategy, with 90.29% passing accuracy. He is confident with and without the ball, never in a hurry for a clumsy clearance, and has a sharp football sense.
Stats with Hyderabad FC:
Hyderabad FC’s solid defensive organization helped the team achieve success in a short span of time. And the organization built upon the energizer shoulder of its defense line, where Odei Onaindia was at the center point.
He made an appearance in 30 games last season, in which he scored a goal. At the heart of HFC’s defense, Odei played top-notch football, helping his team get 42 points and 12 clean sheets. He made 38 tackles, 23 interceptions, 94 clearances, and 31 blocks.
The experienced center Back switches his jersey color to play for the Gaurs. Odei will be accompanied by another great Indian defender, one of Goa’s latest signings, Sandesh Jhingan. Their partnership will give Goa a chance to breathe a sigh of relief in their defensive third.
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