# Aitor Cantalapiedra
**Aitor Cantalapiedra** (Aitor Cantalapiedra Fernández, born 1996 in Barcelona) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger, currently for the Greek club OFI Crete. Left-footed and about 1.77 m tall, he came through the [FC Barcelona](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-barcelona) academy, made one competitive appearance for the Barcelona first team, and built his senior career in the Netherlands and Greece, most prominently with [FC Twente](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-twente) and Panathinaikos.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/aitor-cantalapiedra/profil/spieler/323740) • [2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996, Barcelona, Spain; height 1.77 m; left-footed[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/aitor-cantalapiedra/profil/spieler/323740) |
| Position | Attacking midfield (main), also left and right winger[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/aitor-cantalapiedra/profil/spieler/323740) |
| Barcelona first-team debut | Copa del Rey against Villanovense, 2 December 2015[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) |
| Twente (2018–2020) | 61 matches, 24 goals; 13 goals in his first season as the club won promotion to the Eredivisie[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) |
| Panathinaikos (2020–2025) | 95 appearances, 24 goals, 15 assists; two Greek Cups[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) |
| Current club | OFI Crete, joined 27 July 2026 on a free transfer, contract to 30 June 2028[3](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/aitor-cantalapiedra/823831) |
| Market value | €1.7 million (Sofascore, 2026)[3](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/aitor-cantalapiedra/823831) |
## Youth career
Cantalapiedra moved through a series of Catalan clubs before settling at Barcelona. Transfermarkt lists his youth clubs as PB Cinc Copes (2001/02), FC Barcelona (2002–2006), [RCD Espanyol](https://www.edgepedia.org/rcd-espanyol) (2006–2009), UE Sant Andreu (2009/10), CF Damm (2010–2012), UE Cornellà (2012–2014), and FC Barcelona again (2014/15).[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/aitor-cantalapiedra/profil/spieler/323740) The Greek profile on Betarades gives the same broad arc: he joined the Barcelona academy as a child, moved to Espanyol as a teenager, and returned to Barcelona.[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) FC Barcelona's own account states he arrived at the club at the end of the 2013/14 season from Cornellà to play the [Copa del Rey](https://www.edgepedia.org/copa-del-rey) with the Juvenil A side.[4](https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/1072066/)
## Barcelona and the first-team debut
In the 2015/16 season Cantalapiedra played for Barça B in [Segunda División B](https://www.edgepedia.org/segunda-division-b) under Gerard López. Across the first half of that season he made 18 appearances in 969 minutes and scored four goals.[4](https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/1072066/) He also trained with the first team: in late October 2015, coach [Luis Enrique](https://www.edgepedia.org/luis-enrique) included him among four Barça B players in a recovery session alongside Gerard Gumbau, Sergi Samper, and Wilfrid Kaptoum.[5](https://as.com/futbol/2015/10/26/primera/1445862389_051689.html)
His competitive first-team debut came in the Copa del Rey against Villanovense on 2 December 2015, a round-of-32 tie in which Luis Enrique fielded a heavily rotated side; the Spanish press described Cantalapiedra as a left-footed forward among the four reserve players called up.[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) • [6](https://as.com/futbol/2015/10/28/copa_del_rey/1445990585_454043.html) On 12 January 2016, FC Barcelona announced that his contract had been rescinded.[4](https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/1072066/)
## Villarreal and Sevilla
In January 2016 he moved to [Villarreal](https://www.edgepedia.org/villarreal), where he played mainly for the B team, and in 2017 he joined Sevilla, again appearing for the reserve side.[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) The statistical record at 442ball credits him with 47 matches and 2 goals for Villarreal B (2016–2017), one first-team appearance for Villarreal, and 21 matches with 1 goal for Sevilla Atlético in 2017–18.[7](https://442ball.com/en/player/aitor-cantalapiedra) In a 2023 interview with AS before Panathinaikos faced Villarreal in the Europa League, Cantalapiedra said he had spent a season and a half at the club, debuted in 2016 under coach Escribá, and described the period as one he had enjoyed.[8](https://as.com/futbol/uefa/cantalapiedra-estamos-con-ganas-de-enfrentarnos-al-villarreal-n/)
## FC Twente
At 22 he left Spain for the Dutch club Twente. His two seasons there were productive: in his first season he scored 13 goals and was the side's standout player as Twente won promotion to the [Eredivisie](https://www.edgepedia.org/eredivisie), and across 2018–2020 he totaled 61 matches and 24 goals for the club.[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) The 442ball season table shows 39 appearances, 16 goals, and 11 assists in 2018 and 22 appearances with 8 goals and 5 assists in 2019.[7](https://442ball.com/en/player/aitor-cantalapiedra) Twente's recruitment of Cantalapiedra and Javier Espinosa the previous season was later cited by AS as part of the club's Spanish connection that also brought Oriol Busquets on loan in 2019.[9](https://as.com/futbol/2019/08/27/primera/1566919367_307418.html)
## Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos signed him in the summer of 2020; Sofascore's transfer history records the move from Twente on 1 July 2020 for a €2 million fee.[3](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/aitor-cantalapiedra/823831) Over four seasons in Athens he made 95 appearances with 24 goals and 15 assists and won two Greek Cups.[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) His best statistical season by the 442ball ratings was 2022, with 11 appearances, 8 goals, and 2 assists and an average rating of 7.93.[7](https://442ball.com/en/player/aitor-cantalapiedra) In September 2023 he was in the Panathinaikos side that opened its Europa League group campaign against Villarreal, one of his former clubs.[8](https://as.com/futbol/uefa/cantalapiedra-estamos-con-ganas-de-enfrentarnos-al-villarreal-n/)
## AEK Larnaca, Vitória, and OFI Crete
In August 2024 he joined AEK Larnaca on loan, where he scored 14 goals in 36 matches during the 2024–25 season.[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/) • [3](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/aitor-cantalapiedra/823831) After the loan ended and his Panathinaikos contract expired on 30 June 2025, he signed for the Brazilian club Vitória on a free transfer on 17 July 2025, with a contract running to 30 June 2027.[3](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/aitor-cantalapiedra/823831) • [1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/aitor-cantalapiedra/profil/spieler/323740) He then moved to OFI Crete on a free transfer on 27 July 2026, signing a contract to 30 June 2028.[3](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/aitor-cantalapiedra/823831)
## Playing style
Cantalapiedra is left-footed and listed primarily as an attacking midfielder, with left winger and right winger as secondary positions.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/aitor-cantalapiedra/profil/spieler/323740) Spanish coverage during his Barcelona years described him as a left-footed forward.[6](https://as.com/futbol/2015/10/28/copa_del_rey/1445990585_454043.html) His goal record at Twente and Panathinaikos, roughly a goal every two to three matches across those spells, reflects a wide or supporting attacking role rather than a central striker's.[2](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/)
## References
1. [Aitor Cantalapiedra – Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/aitor-cantalapiedra/profil/spieler/323740)
2. [Αϊτόρ Κανταλαπιέδρα | Aitor Cantalapiedra, Betarades](https://www.betarades.gr/paiktis-aitor-kantalapiedra/)
3. [Aitor Cantalapiedra stats and ratings, Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/aitor-cantalapiedra/823831)
4. [Rescisión del contrato de Aitor Cantalapiedra, FC Barcelona](https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/1072066/)
5. [Sesión de recuperación con cuatro jugadores del Barça B, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2015/10/26/primera/1445862389_051689.html)
6. [El partido de sus sueños, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2015/10/28/copa_del_rey/1445990585_454043.html)
7. [Aitor Cantalapiedra: Vitoria Stats & Goals, 442ball](https://442ball.com/en/player/aitor-cantalapiedra)
8. [Cantalapiedra: "Estamos con ganas de enfrentarnos al Villarreal", AS](https://as.com/futbol/uefa/cantalapiedra-estamos-con-ganas-de-enfrentarnos-al-villarreal-n/)
9. [Oriol Busquets, una de las joyas de La Masía, se marcha al Twente, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2019/08/27/primera/1566919367_307418.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Spanish footballers born 1995 onward › Forwards and wingers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license