Pune FC sign Equatorial Guinea international Raul Fabiani

Pune: I-League side Pune Football Club Monday signed Spanish-born Equatorial Guinea international and former Villareal CF ‘B’ striker Raúl Iván Fabiani Bosio for the 2013-14 season.

Twenty-nine-year-old Raúl becomes Pune FC’s fifth signing in this window and joins playmaker Douhou Pierre as the second player in the foreign quota. He also becomes the first European player to sign for Pune FC. Raúl joins Pune FC after a successful season with Valencia-based club Huracán CF in the Segunda Division-B (Third Division) during which he guided them to the play-offs final only to lose out promotion on away goals. At 6` 6", Raúl interestingly, is the tallest striker to be signed by the club since promotion to the I-League in 2009-10. Pune FC Head Operations, Chirag Tanna said: “We are very happy to have signed Raul. He has an excellent record in Spain (Segunda and Segunda B) and we believe he has the necessary attributes to succeed in the I-League.” Raúl said he was happy to be in India and be a part of Pune FC. “I’m willing to put in a lot of effort and want to help Pune FC win the league. I will try to score as many goals as possible,” he added. Raúl started his career at top-division side Villareal CF (2001) coming through the ranks as a youngster. He was later promoted to their `B` team (2003) and started playing in the second division. Born to a Spanish father and an Equatoguinean mother, Raúl holds both Spanish and Equatoguinean nationality. In 2011, he was naturalised to play for the Equatorial Guinea national team with the 2012 African Cup of Nations (co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon) being his biggest moment. The striker made two appearances against eventual champions Zambia in the Group Stage and against Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals. Overall in his career, he has made a total of six appearances for Equatorial Guinea. IANS