José María Andrés Baixauli (born 25 April 2005), known as Chema Andrés or simply Chema, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for club Brighton & Hove Albion.
Early life Chema was born in 2005 in Valencia, Spain. He joined the youth academy of Spanish side Levante at the age of eight. In 2018, he joined the Real Madrid Academy from Levante at just 13 years old and has since played across various categories, progressing from Infantil to Real Madrid Castilla.
Club career Real Madrid Chema was a key member of the Real Madrid Juvenil A team that won the under-19 domestic treble during the 2022–23 season, claiming the Copa del Rey Juvenil, finishing first in Group 5 of the División de Honor Juvenil, and winning the Copa de Campeones.
He began his senior career with Real Madrid Castilla in 2024, after being promoted directly from the Juvenil A team to the reserves, bypassing the usual step of joining Real Madrid C. He made his senior debut with Real Madrid in a round of 32 Copa del Rey fixture against Minera on January 6, 2025. He came on in the 63rd minute of the second half, replacing Brahim Díaz.
On January 19, 2025, Chema made his senior debut in La Liga during a match against Las Palmas, substituting Dani Ceballos in the 83rd minute. The match ended with 4-1 victory for Real Madrid.
VfB Stuttgart On 27 July 2025, Chema joined German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart for €3 million. He signed a contract with the club until 30 June 2030 and was assigned the number 30 shirt.
Brighton & Hove Albion On 1 September 2026, Chema signed for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion on a five-year contract. He made his Brighton debut on 13 September 2026 in a 5–0 Premier League victory over Coventry City at the CBS Arena, before scoring his first goal for the club six days later in a 3–0 home league win over Arsenal.
International career Chema is a youth international for Spain. He was called up for the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Northern Ireland. He scored his first goal for the Spain U19 in a Group B match against Denmark, which ended in a 2–1 victory. He started in four of Spain's five matches during the tournament, including the final, where Spain defeated France 2–0 to win their 12th UEFA European Under-19 Championship title.
Style of play Chema mainly operates as a defensive midfielder. He has received comparisons to Spain international Sergio Busquets. Chema has also frequently been compared to Madrid native Rodri due to their similar physical attributes, playing position, and style of play.
Chema is known for his tactical discipline, maintaining good positioning on the field, and rarely making mistakes in possession. He is capable of progressing the ball through vertical passes and typically plays as a classic pivot or number 5. His strengths include tactical intelligence, vision, and the ability to deliver high-quality vertical passes.
Personal life During his time at Real Madrid's academy, Chema began studying a degree in Business Administration with Business Analytics in English, having enrolled in the bilingual program.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeOtherTotal DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsReal Madrid C2023–24Tercera Federación73————73Real Madrid Castilla2023–24Primera Federación30————302024–25Primera Federación320———00320Total350———00350Real Madrid2024–25La Liga2010—000030VfB Stuttgart2025–26Bundesliga25340—91103942026–27Bundesliga1010———20Total26340—9110414Brighton & Hove Albion2026–27Premier League21001000–31Career total72760109110898
Honours Spain U19 UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2024
References
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