# Cristian Lema

Cristian Franco Lema (born 24 March 1990) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Boca Juniors.

## Club career

Born in Puerto Madryn, Lema started his football career aged 8 at hometown club Guillermo Brown. He debuted for their senior team in 2007 and left the club in 2009.
A year later, Lema joined Newell's Old Boys and made his Argentine Primera División debut in a 0–0 home draw to Godoy Cruz in November. After playing 12 matches with the former side, he moved on loan to Tigre in June 2011, and there he played 11 matches, scoring one goal. In July 2012, aged 22, he transferred to Quilmes, with whom he would play 40 matches and score 2 goals before moving to Belgrano in 2014. In his four-year spell with the latter, he became the club's defender with the most league goals ever, 16 in 123 matches. Moreover, he debuted in Copa Sudamericana in 2015.
In June 2018, Lema moved to Portugal and signed a five-year contract with S.L. Benfica. In February 2019, after playing only two matches for the Lisbon side in October, he was loaned to Uruguayan club Peñarol until June 2019, with option to buy. Afterwards, he was loaned out to Newell's Old Boys for 2019–20. He left Benfica on 1 October 2020 to join Saudi Arabian club Damac FC.
On 18 February 2021, Lema returned to Newell's Old Boys, and signed a contract until December 2021.
In November 2022, Lema joined fellow Primera División club Lanús ahead of the 2023 season.
On 8 January 2024, Lema moved to Boca Juniors for a reported fee of $500.000, signing a two-year contract.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 11 November 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Newell's Old Boys | 2010–11 | Argentine Primera División | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Tigre (loan) | 2011–12 | Argentine Primera División | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Quilmes | 2012–13 | Argentine Primera División | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 |
| Quilmes | 2013–14 | Argentine Primera División | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 2 |
| Quilmes | Total | Total | 38 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 2 |
| Belgrano | 2014 | Argentine Primera División | 18 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| Belgrano | 2015 | Argentine Primera División | 28 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 2 |
| Belgrano | 2016 | Argentine Primera División | 14 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 3 |
| Belgrano | 2016–17 | Argentine Primera División | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 3 |
| Belgrano | 2017–18 | Argentine Primera División | 25 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 8 |
| Belgrano | Total | Total | 106 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 120 | 16 |
| Benfica | 2018–19 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Peñarol (loan) | 2019 | Uruguayan Primera División | 13 | 2 | — | — | 7 | 1 | 20 | 3 |
| Newell's Old Boys (loan) | 2019–20 | Argentine Primera División | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 5 |
| Damac | 2020–21 | Saudi Pro League | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 |
| Newell's Old Boys | 2021 | Argentine Primera División | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| Newell's Old Boys | 2022 | Argentine Primera División | 29 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 30 | 3 |
| Newell's Old Boys | Total | Total | 57 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 63 | 4 |
| Lanús | 2023 | Argentine Primera División | 37 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 39 | 2 |
| Boca Juniors | 2024 | Argentine Primera División | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 305 | 29 | 17 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 340 | 33 |
* 1 2 3 Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Five appearances and one goal in Copa Libertadores, two appearances in Copa Sudamericana

## Honours

Benfica
* Primeira Liga: 2018–19

### Individual

* Argentine Primera División Team of the Season: 2023