Aritz López Garai Explained

Aritz López Garai
Fullname:Aritz López Garai
Birth Date:6 November 1980
Birth Place:Barakaldo, Spain
Height:1.820NaN0
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:1997–1998
Youthclubs1:Indartsu
Youthyears2:1998–1999
Youthclubs2:Athletic Bilbao
Years1:1999–2001
Caps1:68
Goals1:5
Years2:2001–2002
Clubs2:Gernika (loan)
Caps2:33
Goals2:0
Years3:2002–2005
Caps3:107
Goals3:2
Years4:2005–2007
Caps4:77
Goals4:4
Years5:2007–2009
Caps5:75
Goals5:4
Years6:2009–2011
Caps6:78
Goals6:1
Years7:2011–2013
Caps7:82
Goals7:6
Years8:2013–2014
Caps8:14
Goals8:0
Years9:2014
Clubs9:Córdoba (loan)
Caps9:9
Goals9:0
Years10:2014
Caps10:6
Goals10:0
Years11:2015
Caps11:17
Goals11:0
Years12:2015
Caps12:13
Goals12:0
Years13:2016–2017
Caps13:56
Goals13:1
Totalcaps:639
Totalgoals:22
Manageryears1:2017–2018
Managerclubs1:Reus
Manageryears2:2018–2019
Managerclubs2:Numancia
Manageryears3:2019
Managerclubs3:Tenerife
Manageryears4:2020
Managerclubs4:Albacete

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

ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Basconia1999–00[14] Tercera División313313
2000–01Segunda División B372372
Total685685
Gernika2001–02[15] Segunda División B330330
Conquense2002–03Segunda División B341341
2003–04Segunda División B32130351
2004–05Segunda División B3703040440
Total103260401132
Salamanca2005–06Segunda División B3621040412
2006–07Segunda División37210382
Total7342040794
2007–08Segunda División39400392
2008–09Segunda División36010370
Total75410764
2009–10Segunda División40160461
2010–11Segunda División3601020390
Total7617020851
2011–12Segunda División3904020450
2012–13Segunda División41660476
Total80610020926
2013–14Segunda División14000140
Córdoba (loan)2013–14Segunda División60003090
Córdoba (loan)2014–15La Liga602080
Total1202030170
2014–15[16] Liga I17000170
2015–16Cypriot First Division13000130
Reus2015–16Segunda División B1500040190
2016–17Segunda División37100371
Total5212000561
Career total6162328019066338

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamNatFromToRecord
Reus15 June 201723 June 2018[17]
Numancia24 June 201811 June 2019[18]
Tenerife21 June 201917 November 2019[19]
Albacete14 October 20206 December 2020[20]
Total

Notes and References

  1. News: 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. Jesús. Mata. es. 16 January 2019. 13 December 2021.
  2. News: Los héroes del ascenso. The promotion heroes. ABC. es. 23 June 2014. 17 September 2018.
  3. Web site: Slow start from Real Madrid. ESPN FC. 25 August 2014. 12 January 2015.
  4. Web site: López Garai se desvincula del Córdoba C.F.. López Garai cuts ties with Córdoba C.F.. Córdoba CF. es. 28 January 2015. 28 January 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150131015758/http://www.cordobacf.com/-/lopez-garai-se-desvincula-del-cordoba-c-f-. 31 January 2015.
  5. News: 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. Andru. Nenciu. Cristian. Voicu. ro. 17 February 2015. 23 February 2015.
  6. Web site: Aritz López Garai serà el nou entrenador del CF Reus. Aritz López Garai will be the new manager of CF Reus. Televisió de Catalunya. ca. 15 June 2017. 15 June 2017.
  7. Web site: López Garai, nuevo entrenador del C. D. Numancia. López Garai, new manager of C. D. Numancia. CD Numancia. es. 24 June 2018. 25 June 2018.
  8. Web site: López Garai signs new deal to continue as Numancia manager. CD Numancia. 19 February 2019. 11 June 2019.
  9. Web site: 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. CD Numancia. es. 11 June 2019. 11 June 2019.
  10. Web site: Aritz López Garai, nuevo entrenador del CD Tenerife. Aritz López Garai, new manager of CD Tenerife. CD Tenerife. es. 21 June 2019. 22 June 2019.
  11. Web site: Aritz López Garai, destituido como técnico del CD Tenerife. Aritz López Garai, dismissed as manager of CD Tenerife. CD Tenerife. es. 17 November 2019. 18 November 2019.
  12. Web site: Aritz López Garai, nuevo técnico del Albacete Balompié. Aritz López Garai, new manager of Albacete Balompié. Albacete Balompié. es. 14 October 2020. 14 October 2020.
  13. Web site: Gracias, Aritz. Thank you, Aritz. Albacete Balompié. es. 6 December 2020. 6 December 2020.
  14. Web site: Aritz López Garai. RomanianSoccer. 1 December 2019.
  15. Web site: López Garai: Aritz López Garai. BDFutbol. 23 February 2015.
  16. Web site: López Garai. Soccerway. 23 February 2015.
  17. Web site: López Garai: Aritz López Garai. BDFutbol. 16 December 2017.
  18. Web site: López Garai: Aritz López Garai. BDFutbol. 19 August 2018.
  19. Web site: López Garai: Aritz López Garai. BDFutbol. 21 June 2019.
  20. Web site: López Garai: Aritz López Garai. BDFutbol. 26 October 2020.