| Manolo Lucena | |
| Fullname: | Manuel Lucena Medina |
| Birth Date: | 18 November 1982 |
| Birth Place: | Granada, Spain |
| Height: | 1.860NaN0 |
| Position: | Centre-back |
| Youthyears1: | 2000–2001 |
| Youthclubs1: | Imperio Albolote |
| Years1: | 2001–2002 |
| Years2: | 2002–2005 |
| Caps2: | 64 |
| Goals2: | 4 |
| Years3: | 2004–2005 |
| Clubs3: | → Marino (loan) |
| Caps3: | 32 |
| Goals3: | 6 |
| Years4: | 2005 |
| Caps4: | 3 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2006–2013 |
| Caps5: | 181 |
| Goals5: | 15 |
| Years6: | 2013–2014 |
| Caps6: | 11 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 291 |
| Totalgoals: | 25 |
Manuel 'Manolo' Lucena Medina (born 18 November 1982) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender.
His professional career was mainly associated with Granada, with which he competed in all four major levels of Spanish football.[1]
Lucena was born in Granada, Andalusia. In 2002 he signed for his hometown's Granada CF, at the time in the Tercera División. After two years as a starter he was loaned to Marino de Luanco of Segunda División B, being first-choice in his only season as the Asturias club narrowly avoided relegation.[2]
In the summer of 2005, Lucena joined Sporting de Gijón in the Segunda División. In January 2006, with only three league appearances to his credit – seven minutes in total – he returned to Granada, scoring five goals as the team promoted from the fourth division.[2]
Lucena remained a key player in the following three third-tier campaigns, never appearing in less than 32 league games and occasionally pitching in at defensive midfielder.[3] In 2009–10, already as team captain, he contributed 26 matches and one goal en route to a return to division two after 22 years.[1]
In late June 2011, after a second consecutive promotion for Granada, with him as the club's only player from the region of Granada, Lucena renewed his contract for a further two seasons.[4] [5] He made his La Liga debut on 27 August in a 0–1 home loss against Real Betis (90 minutes played),[6] [1] but totalled only nine official games over two seasons, being released subsequently.
Lucena retired at the end of the 2013–14 campaign at the age of 31, following a spell with CD Mirandés in the second tier.[7] In February 2015, he returned to Granada as match delegate.[8]