Manu García (footballer, born 1986) should not be confused with Manu García (footballer, born 1998).
| Manu García | |
| Fullname: | Manuel Alejandro García Sánchez |
| Birth Date: | 26 April 1986 |
| Birth Place: | Vitoria, Spain |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Youthclubs1: | Real Sociedad |
| Years1: | 2005–2008 |
| Caps1: | 101 |
| Goals1: | 18 |
| Years2: | 2008–2010 |
| Caps2: | 35 |
| Goals2: | 6 |
| Years3: | 2008–2009 |
| Clubs3: | → Real Unión (loan) |
| Caps3: | 29 |
| Goals3: | 8 |
| Years4: | 2010–2012 |
| Caps4: | 53 |
| Goals4: | 13 |
| Years5: | 2012–2021 |
| Caps5: | 282 |
| Goals5: | 19 |
| Years6: | 2021–2022 |
| Caps6: | 23 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2022–2023 |
| Caps7: | 25 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2003 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2016– |
| Nationalcaps2: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 28 May 2023 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 16:34, 17 November 2020 (UTC) |
Manuel "Manu" Alejandro García Sánchez (born 26 April 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer. Mainly a central midfielder, he can also play as a winger or a left-back.[1]
He spent the better part of his career with Alavés after signing in 2012, appearing in 308 competitive matches and winning the 2015–16 Segunda División. In La Liga, he totalled 144 games and eight goals over five seasons with the club.[2]
Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, García finished his development at Real Sociedad, and made his senior debut with the reserves in the 2005–06 season, in the Segunda División B. In July 2008 he signed for Segunda División club SD Eibar, but was immediately loaned to Real Unión in the third tier.[3]
García featured regularly during his loan spell, scoring eight goals to help his team to return to division two after 44 years. In July 2009 he rejoined the Armeros, who in turn had suffered relegation.[4] Despite being an undisputed starter during the campaign, he was deemed surplus to requirements in July 2010.[5]
On 30 December 2010, García joined fellow third-division side UD Logroñés.[6] In 2011–12 he netted a career-best seven goals, as they finished two points short of the play-offs.
In June 2012, García moved to Deportivo Alavés,[7] the club he supported as a child.[8] He was ever-present in his first year, appearing in 37 league matches to help his team to achieve promotion to the second division in the playoffs.
García appeared in his first game as a professional on 24 August 2013, a 1–1 home draw against UD Las Palmas.[9] He scored his first professional goal on 15 September 2013, in a 2–1 away loss to Real Murcia.[10] On 2 July 2014, he signed a new two-year contract with the Basques.[11]
García contributed 37 appearances and five goals in 2015–16, and Alavés returned to La Liga after ten years.[12] He made his debut in the league on 21 August, starting and scoring a last-minute equaliser in a 1–1 draw at Atlético Madrid.[13]
On 6 October 2018, after having come on as a 74th-minute substitute for Mubarak Wakaso, García netted 21 minutes later from a corner kick to help his team to get their first win against Real Madrid in 88 years.[14] On 26 May 2021, after nine years at the Mendizorrotza Stadium, the 35-year-old left the club.[15]
On 9 August 2021, García signed for Aris Limassol FC in the Cypriot First Division.[16] He returned to his home country one year later, on a one-year deal at CD Mirandés.[17]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Real Sociedad B | 2005–06 | Segunda División B | 31 | 5 | — | 2 | 0 | 33 | 5 | ||
| 2006–07 | 34 | 3 | — | — | 34 | 3 | |||||
| 2007–08 | 36 | 10 | — | — | 36 | 10 | |||||
| Total | 101 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 103 | 18 | |||
| Eibar | 2009–10 | Segunda División B | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 6 | |
| Real Unión (loan) | 2008–09 | Segunda División B | 29 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 8 | |
| Logroñés | 2010–11 | Segunda División B | 19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 19 | 5 | ||
| 2011–12 | 34 | 7 | 3 | 3 | — | 37 | 10 | ||||
| Total | 53 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 15 | |||
| Alavés | 2012–13 | Segunda División B | 33 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 42 | 3 | |
| 2013–14 | Segunda División | 38 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 39 | 3 | |||
| 2014–15 | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | ||||
| 2015–16 | 37 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 39 | 5 | ||||
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 25 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | 31 | 3 | |||
| 2017–18 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 3 | ||||
| 2018–19 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 2 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 282 | 19 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 308 | 10 | |||
| Career total | 500 | 64 | 32 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 545 | 67 | |||
Alavés