Jesús Emilio Díez de Mier (born 7 January 1973), known as Txutxi, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
He appeared in 304 Segunda División games over 11 seasons, mainly in representation of Bilbao Athletic and Badajoz. In La Liga, he played with Athletic Bilbao.
Playing career Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Txutxi joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system at the age of 17. He spent four full seasons with the reserves in the Segunda División, being relegated in 1996;El Lleida sentencia al Athletic en un mal partido (Lleida sentence Athletic in poor showing); Mundo Deportivo, 20 May 1996 (in Spanish) on 22 October 1992, he made his debut for the main squad, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 away loss against Xerez CD in the Copa del Rey.El Athletic pierde por la mínima (Narrow loss for Athletic); Mundo Deportivo, 23 October 1992 (in Spanish)
Txutxi first appeared in La Liga courtesy of manager Dragoslav Stepanović – exactly three years after his first competitive match – a 0–0 home draw with RCD Español in which he again played the entire game.Suma y sigue (And counting); Mundo Deportivo, 23 October 1995 (in Spanish) After leaving the Basques, he resumed his career in the second tier with UE LleidaTxutxi, exfutbolista detenido en El Puerto que estaba fugado de la justicia, debutó con el Athletic en Chapín ante el Xerez CD (Txutxi, former footballer arrested in El Puerto who was a fugitive from justice, made his debut with Athletic at Chapín against Xerez CD); Diario de Jerez, 19 December 2024 (in Spanish) and CD Badajoz, eventually becoming team captain at the latter club.Un capitán de fuerte personalidad (A captain with a strong character); Hoy, 27 February 2009 (in Spanish)
In late November 2001, following a run-in with head coach Carlos Alhinho, Txutxi signed for Segunda División B side Hércules CF on loan.Txutxi se marcha cedido al Hércules (Txutxi goes to Hércules on loan); Diario AS, 22 November 2001 (in Spanish) He retired in June 2005 aged 32, after a spell with amateurs Sangonera Atlético CF.
Drug scandal In February 2009 Txutxi, alongside former footballers Carlos de la Vega and Predrag Stanković, was arrested in connection with an anti-drug operation in Madrid.El jugador del Rayo Carlos de la Vega a prisión por tráfico de drogas (Rayo Vallecano player Carlos de la Vega in jail for drug traffic) ; La Razón, 18 September 2009 (in Spanish) Both he and Stanković were condemned to nine years in 2014 (confirmation in 2015) – as five other people received sentences that ranged from four to 12 years, with de la Vega being one of two persons acquitted – for smuggling 950 kg of cocaine into the country.Stankoviću devet godina zatvora (Nine years in prison for Stanković); B92, 14 March 2014 (in Serbian)Nueve años de cárcel por narcotráfico a Stankovic y a Txutxi (Nine years in prison for Stankovic and Txutxi for drug traffic); Marca, 9 February 2015 (in Spanish)
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