Born in Cádiz, Andalusia, Chico started playing professionally with hometown club Cádiz CF, first with its reserves. In the 2006–07 season, with the main squad in Segunda División, he appeared in three league games. Chico served two loans in 2007–08, first at Racing Club Portuense then with FC Barcelona B, helping the Catalanswin promotion to Segunda División B after arriving at the request of manager Pep Guardiola. At the end of the campaign, he signed with Cádiz neighbours UD Almería in La Liga. In 2009–10, Chico contributed with 27 appearances as the team again retained their top flight status after finishing in 13th position. He also spent more than one month on the sidelines, due to leg ailments.
Genoa
In late July 2010, after extensive negotiations, Chico signed with Genoa C.F.C. in Italy, for five years and €4 million. He appeared in less than half of the Serie A matches in his first and only season. On 22 July 2011, RCD Mallorca reached an agreement with Genoa to take Chico on a season-long loan, with the Balearic Islands club having an option to buy the player at the end of the campaign. He totalled 2,884 minutes of action as either a right or centre-back, starting in all his appearances for an eventual eighth-place finish.
On 10 July 2012, Chico signed for Premier League side Swansea City for £2 million on a three-year contract, rejoining former Mallorca boss Michael Laudrup in the process. He made his league debut on 18 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 away win over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road. On 1 September 2012, Chico was given a straight red card after 71 minutes of play in the 2–2 home draw against Sunderland, for a challenge on Louis Saha – refereeRoger East decided it was too high and sent him off for dangerous play. An injury prevented him from playing in his team's victory in the League Cup and, on 6 April 2013, he agreed to an extension meant to keep him at the Liberty Stadium until June 2016. On 1 February 2014, Chico was accused of diving in a game against West Ham United, where he went down under contact from Andy Carroll, who was subsequently sent off by Howard Webb. The previous month, police had been called to Swansea’s training ground after he allegedly picked up a brick in a furious row with team-mate Garry Monk.
Lekhwiya
On 9 August 2014, Lekhwiya SC announced the signing of Chico who had arrived to Doha two days earlier for the pertinent medical. He reunited with former Swansea manager Michael Laudrup, and scored in his Qatar Stars League debut for his new club, a 5–0 win over Qatar SC in the first match of the season.
