Spanish footballer
In this
Spanish name , the first or paternal
surname is
López and the second or maternal family name is
Garai .
Aritz López Garai (born 6 November 1980) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central midfielder , currently a manager .
He amassed Segunda División totals of 325 matches and 13 goals over nine seasons, in representation of six clubs. In La Liga , he played six games with Córdoba .
In 2017, López Garai started working as a manager.
Playing career
López Garai was born in Barakaldo , Biscay . An unsuccessful youth graduate of Athletic Bilbao , he spent the vast majority of his professional career in the second and third divisions .
López Garai represented CD Basconia (Bilbao's farm team ), Gernika Club , UB Conquense , UD Salamanca , CD Castellón , RC Celta de Vigo , Córdoba CF – two spells – and Sporting de Gijón , rarely settling with a team but being always first choice.[ 1] He signed with Andalusia 's Córdoba for the second time in summer 2014 following a short loan spell with the same club from Gijón,[ 2] and made his La Liga debut on 25 August 2014 at the age of 33, starting in a 2–0 away loss against Real Madrid .[ 3]
On 28 January 2015, López Garai terminated his contract with the Blanquiverdes .[ 4] Less than one month later he moved abroad for the first time in his career, joining Romania's FC Rapid București .[ 5]
Coaching career
For the 2015–16 campaign, López Garai represented Doxa Katokopias FC in Cyprus and CF Reus Deportiu , achieving promotion to the second division with the latter side. On 15 June 2017, they announced the 36-year-old would retire and become its head coach with immediate effect, replacing Real Zaragoza -bound Natxo González .[ 6]
On 24 June 2018, López Garai was appointed manager of CD Numancia after terminating his contract with Reus.[ 7] He signed a new contract with the former club the following 19 February,[ 8] but reached an agreement to leave on 11 June.[ 9]
On 21 June 2019, López Garai was named at the helm of CD Tenerife still in the second tier.[ 10] On 17 November, he was dismissed.[ 11]
López Garai took over Albacete Balompié of the same league on 14 October 2020 after nearly one year of inactivity, replacing the dismissed Lucas Alcaraz .[ 12] He was himself relieved of his duties on 6 December, after only winning three points out of the last 27.[ 13]
Career statistics
As of 29 September 2015
^ a b c d e f Appearances in Promotion Play-offs
Managerial statistics
As of 6 December 2020
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team
Nat
From
To
Record
Ref
Reus
15 June 2017
23 June 2018
41
11
15
15
29
42
−13
0 26.83
[ 17]
Numancia
24 June 2018
11 June 2019
43
11
16
16
45
52
−7
0 25.58
[ 18]
Tenerife
21 June 2019
17 November 2019
16
3
6
7
18
21
−3
0 18.75
[ 19]
Albacete
14 October 2020
6 December 2020
12
2
4
6
8
14
−6
0 16.67
[ 20]
Total
112
27
41
44
100
129
−29
0 24.11
—
References
^ Mata, Jesús (16 January 2019). "Otros españoles que, como Enric Gallego, debutaron en Primera con más de 30 años" [Other Spaniards who, as Enric Gallego, made debut in Primera after turning 30]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2021 .
^ "Los héroes del ascenso" [The promotion heroes]. ABC (in Spanish). 23 June 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2018 .
^ "Slow start from Real Madrid" . ESPN FC . 25 August 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2015 .
^ "López Garai se desvincula del Córdoba C.F." [López Garai cuts ties with Córdoba C.F.] (in Spanish). Córdoba CF. 28 January 2015. Archived from the original on 31 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015 .
^ Nenciu, Andru; Voicu, Cristian (17 February 2015). "Artist nou în Teatrul Giuleşti. Cine e Aritz Lopez Garai, al patrulea spaniol de la Rapid" [New artist at Giuleşti Theater. Who is Aritz Lopez Garai, Rapid's fourth Spaniard]. ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 23 February 2015 .
^ "Aritz López Garai serà el nou entrenador del CF Reus" [Aritz López Garai will be the new manager of CF Reus] (in Catalan). Televisió de Catalunya . 15 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017 .
^ "López Garai, nuevo entrenador del C. D. Numancia" [López Garai, new manager of C. D. Numancia] (in Spanish). CD Numancia. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2018 .
^ "López Garai signs new deal to continue as Numancia manager" . CD Numancia. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019 .
^ "C. D. Numancia y López Garai acuerdan la resolución del contrato que unía a ambas partes" [C. D. Numancia and López Garai agree to resolution of the contract which tied up both parts] (in Spanish). CD Numancia. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019 .
^ "Aritz López Garai, nuevo entrenador del CD Tenerife" [Aritz López Garai, new manager of CD Tenerife] (in Spanish). CD Tenerife. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019 .
^ "Aritz López Garai, destituido como técnico del CD Tenerife" [Aritz López Garai, dismissed as manager of CD Tenerife] (in Spanish). CD Tenerife. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019 .
^ "Aritz López Garai, nuevo técnico del Albacete Balompié" [Aritz López Garai, new manager of Albacete Balompié] (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020 .
^ "Gracias, Aritz" [Thank you, Aritz] (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020 .
^ a b "Aritz López Garai" . RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 1 December 2019 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "López Garai: Aritz López Garai" . BDFutbol. Retrieved 23 February 2015 .
^ a b "López Garai" . Soccerway. Retrieved 23 February 2015 .
^ "López Garai: Aritz López Garai" . BDFutbol. Retrieved 16 December 2017 .
^ "López Garai: Aritz López Garai" . BDFutbol. Retrieved 19 August 2018 .
^ "López Garai: Aritz López Garai" . BDFutbol. Retrieved 21 June 2019 .
^ "López Garai: Aritz López Garai" . BDFutbol. Retrieved 26 October 2020 .
External links