Mr. Enrique Cerezo presents Perea’s contract extension until 2012
The Colombian, excited to continue wearing the red-and-white
On Monday in the Estadio Vicente Calderón VIP Room, the President of Atlético de Madrid, Mr. Enrique Cerezo, presented the deal that extends the contract of Colombian defender Luis Amaranto Perea with the ‘rojiblanco’ organization until June 2012. It should be recalled that the player’s previous contract was to end on 30 June 2011. The Club wanted to reward the commitment of the footballer to the red-and-white colours. His ability to work hard and make sacrifices in each match didn’t go unnoticed and led the ‘rojiblanco’ club to want to extend its sporting relationship with him.
Mr. Enrique Cerezo opened the act by stating that “we’re here today to announce the renewal of a player in capital letter. A player that we can consider, even though he didn’t come up through our junior academy, one of our own. Because Luis Amaranto Perea has been wearing the Atlético de Madrid jersey for almost a lifetime, specifically seven seasons, and will continue to do so for at least one more with us.
“Perea is an example of fight, sacrifice, dedication and love for one’s colours. He’s a great player and an excellent person, who has earned this extension thanks to his professionalism both on and off the pitch. In all of these years, Luis has experienced many things at our Club, so he knows perfectly well what Atlético de Madrid is about, and has seen many teammates pass through the squad, so he has become a benchmark inside the dressing room, who others look to, especially the youngsters, during tough times,” he assured.
The President of Atlético commented that “his beginnings in the world of football were tough, although he never wants to boast about them, but he reached the goals he had set for himself with great perseverance. Around 2004, when he was in the ranks of Boca Juniors, he opened all of our eyes with a superb match that he played against Atlético de Madrid at the Vicente Calderón. Since then and until now, Luis hasn’t stopped waging war on the flanks or in the centre of the defence, showing that we’re in front of one of the fastest footballers in the world. Perea is living history of Atlético de Madrid. But I don’t say this blinded by the affection I feel for him. The numbers speak for themselves. In fact, he’s the foreigner with the second-most matches played for our club during its more than hundred years of history.
“With 255 behind him, only the Argentine Griffa, with 36 more, can presume to exceed the impressive figures of the player I have here at my side today. However, it’s all clear to us that Luis, with his exceptional physical form, will be able to break that record in the upcoming months. Luis has always been able to beat the adversities he’s faced to be a fixture for all of the managers that he’s had. But he’s also reaped plenty of rewards. The UEFA Europa League, that trophy that he raised in Hamburg on that 12 May, and the European Super Cup, were the culmination of many years of unbound dedication by this club, which nobody will ever be able to argue against,” acknowledged the Head Executive.
Mr. Enrique Cerezo alluded to the positive attitude that Luis has always shown. “I wish you the best during the rest of this season and the next. I hope that you never lose that smile that always accompanies you. Remember that I won’t forget that you owe us that first goal that has stayed away from you and that they called back in that derby against Real Madrid. You’ve earned this extension thanks to your effort, dedication and sacrifice although, having said that, I would recommend that you don’t stop working because two rockets are coming up right behind you in your sons, who some day we’ll surely see running from endline to endline in the Atlético de Madrid jersey,” he concluded.
For his part, Luis Amaranto Perea emotionally expressed that “I’m very happy to be here and to extend my contract with Atlético de Madrid. It makes me truly proud to be the second foreign player with the most games played at this club behind Griffa, but I don’t want to stop here and I’m going to keep working to grow and to improve.
'I’m a man of few words and you all know that. Since I arrived, I’ve felt that this club is a big family and I couldn’t identify with any other colours. The only thing that I want is to continue contributing with my work and my desire to help the team,” he stated.
Perea’s beginnings in the world of football were very hard, as he was forced to combine this sport with other professional activities to make a living. With great perseverance and thanks to his spectacular physical gifts, Luis Amaranto reached the goal that he had set for himself when he began to play football. He started his career in the Colombian League at Independiente de Medellín, where he played for three years and was champions in the 2002 Torneo Clausura. In the 2003-2004 season he headed to the Argentina First Division, specifically with Boca Juniors. He won an Argentine League title and a Copa Intercontinental with this team.
But destiny is capricious. Perea played a friendly match at Estadio Vicente Calderón defending the Boca Juniors jersey and that day the Club Atlético de Madrid coaches set their sights on him. The Colombian international defender, who can play either at right back or centre half, didn’t think twice and landed in Madrid in the summer of 2004, where he has become one of the most recognizable images of the team. He’s considered one of the fastest players in the world with one of the quickest accelerations as well, rapid in cutting down space as few others are capable of, with phenomenal anticipation and reaction time.
He began to play with Atlético de Madrid in 2004. His debut in the Spanish First Division was on 28 August 2004 in a match in which Atlético de Madrid defeated Málaga by a score of 2-0.
With his national team, he has been capped 49 times. His debut as an international occurred on 10 September 2003 in a Colombia-Bolivia encounter (0-4). Since that game, the defender has become a fixture in the squad lists of the Colombian national team. He played in qualifying for the 2006 Germany and 2010 South Africa World Cups and the matches of his national team in the 2007 Copa America.
Mr. Enrique Cerezo opened the act by stating that “we’re here today to announce the renewal of a player in capital letter. A player that we can consider, even though he didn’t come up through our junior academy, one of our own. Because Luis Amaranto Perea has been wearing the Atlético de Madrid jersey for almost a lifetime, specifically seven seasons, and will continue to do so for at least one more with us.
“Perea is an example of fight, sacrifice, dedication and love for one’s colours. He’s a great player and an excellent person, who has earned this extension thanks to his professionalism both on and off the pitch. In all of these years, Luis has experienced many things at our Club, so he knows perfectly well what Atlético de Madrid is about, and has seen many teammates pass through the squad, so he has become a benchmark inside the dressing room, who others look to, especially the youngsters, during tough times,” he assured.
The President of Atlético commented that “his beginnings in the world of football were tough, although he never wants to boast about them, but he reached the goals he had set for himself with great perseverance. Around 2004, when he was in the ranks of Boca Juniors, he opened all of our eyes with a superb match that he played against Atlético de Madrid at the Vicente Calderón. Since then and until now, Luis hasn’t stopped waging war on the flanks or in the centre of the defence, showing that we’re in front of one of the fastest footballers in the world. Perea is living history of Atlético de Madrid. But I don’t say this blinded by the affection I feel for him. The numbers speak for themselves. In fact, he’s the foreigner with the second-most matches played for our club during its more than hundred years of history.
“With 255 behind him, only the Argentine Griffa, with 36 more, can presume to exceed the impressive figures of the player I have here at my side today. However, it’s all clear to us that Luis, with his exceptional physical form, will be able to break that record in the upcoming months. Luis has always been able to beat the adversities he’s faced to be a fixture for all of the managers that he’s had. But he’s also reaped plenty of rewards. The UEFA Europa League, that trophy that he raised in Hamburg on that 12 May, and the European Super Cup, were the culmination of many years of unbound dedication by this club, which nobody will ever be able to argue against,” acknowledged the Head Executive.
Mr. Enrique Cerezo alluded to the positive attitude that Luis has always shown. “I wish you the best during the rest of this season and the next. I hope that you never lose that smile that always accompanies you. Remember that I won’t forget that you owe us that first goal that has stayed away from you and that they called back in that derby against Real Madrid. You’ve earned this extension thanks to your effort, dedication and sacrifice although, having said that, I would recommend that you don’t stop working because two rockets are coming up right behind you in your sons, who some day we’ll surely see running from endline to endline in the Atlético de Madrid jersey,” he concluded.
For his part, Luis Amaranto Perea emotionally expressed that “I’m very happy to be here and to extend my contract with Atlético de Madrid. It makes me truly proud to be the second foreign player with the most games played at this club behind Griffa, but I don’t want to stop here and I’m going to keep working to grow and to improve.
'I’m a man of few words and you all know that. Since I arrived, I’ve felt that this club is a big family and I couldn’t identify with any other colours. The only thing that I want is to continue contributing with my work and my desire to help the team,” he stated.
Perea’s beginnings in the world of football were very hard, as he was forced to combine this sport with other professional activities to make a living. With great perseverance and thanks to his spectacular physical gifts, Luis Amaranto reached the goal that he had set for himself when he began to play football. He started his career in the Colombian League at Independiente de Medellín, where he played for three years and was champions in the 2002 Torneo Clausura. In the 2003-2004 season he headed to the Argentina First Division, specifically with Boca Juniors. He won an Argentine League title and a Copa Intercontinental with this team.
But destiny is capricious. Perea played a friendly match at Estadio Vicente Calderón defending the Boca Juniors jersey and that day the Club Atlético de Madrid coaches set their sights on him. The Colombian international defender, who can play either at right back or centre half, didn’t think twice and landed in Madrid in the summer of 2004, where he has become one of the most recognizable images of the team. He’s considered one of the fastest players in the world with one of the quickest accelerations as well, rapid in cutting down space as few others are capable of, with phenomenal anticipation and reaction time.
He began to play with Atlético de Madrid in 2004. His debut in the Spanish First Division was on 28 August 2004 in a match in which Atlético de Madrid defeated Málaga by a score of 2-0.
With his national team, he has been capped 49 times. His debut as an international occurred on 10 September 2003 in a Colombia-Bolivia encounter (0-4). Since that game, the defender has become a fixture in the squad lists of the Colombian national team. He played in qualifying for the 2006 Germany and 2010 South Africa World Cups and the matches of his national team in the 2007 Copa America.
