Ricardo Janota
Ricardo Baleia Janota (born 10 March 1987) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently a goalkeeping coach at Liga Portugal 2 club Académico de Viseu. Janota began his career with Benfica. He played twice for their B team in the Segunda Divisão, the third tier of Portuguese football, before moving on to third-tier clubs Estrela de Vendas Novas, Atlético CP and Estrela da Amadora. He spent the 2010–11 season with Liga de Honra (second-tier) Trofense, but never played for the first team. After a season back in the third tier with Mafra, Janota returned to Atlético CP, where he finally made his first appearance in the newly renamed Segunda Liga. He continued his Segunda Liga career with Académico Viseu and Oriental, before returning to Viseu in 2015. He signed for Tondela ahead of the 2016–17 season, and made his Primeira Liga debut in April 2017. That was his last top-flight appearance, and after half a season with Mafra he rejoined Académico Viseu in January 2019. In international football, Janota played for his country from under-16 to under-19 level, and was part of Portugal's squad for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup without taking the field. Club career Janota was born in Pêro Pinheiro, Sintra, in the Greater Lisbon area. He began his football career in the youth system of Primeira Liga club Benfica, and made his senior debut for Benfica's B team as a 17-year-old, on 16 October 2005 in a 2–0 defeat of Pinhalnovense in the Segunda Divisão, the third tier of Portuguese football. A few days later, with the club's two main goalkeepers José Moreira out for six months and Quim receiving treatment for a recent injury, Janota received an unexpected call-up to train with the first-team squad ahead of the match with Estrela da Amadora; Quim recovered in time to start the match. Janota played once more for Benfica B, and was once an unused substitute for the first team, before being released at the end of the 2005–06 season. After reported interest from Belgian club Standard Liège and a trial in Spain with Espanyol, he remained in Portugal. He played five Segunda Divisão matches for Estrela de Vendas Novas in late 2006, then moved on to Atlético CP. Ahead of the 2007–08 season, he had a trial with Spanish third-tier club León, and in October spent a week with Dutch Eredivisie side FC Utrecht to gain experience. Janota made his senior debut for Atlético in February 2008, as a first-half substitute when goalkeeper Filipe Leão was sent off against Carregado, and kept a clean sheet the following week against Lusitânia. After Leão's return from suspension, he and Janota shared the goalkeeping duties for the remainder of the season. Atlético's need to reduce spending meant Janota was one of only five players retained for 2008–09. He was undisputed first-choice goalkeeper during the regular season, but shared the promotion group duties with Rui Santos. Atlético were not promoted, and Janota left