Albert Celades

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Albert Celades

| image = Albert Celades cropped.jpg

| caption = Celades with the New York Red Bulls in 2009

| fullname = Albert Celades López{{cite news|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/envivos/fichas/1/139/3979.html|title=Albert CELADES López|newspaper=El Mundo|language=es|access-date=11 June 2020}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|9|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Barcelona, Spain

| height = 1.77 m

| position = Defensive midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 1990–1994 | youthclubs1 = Barcelona

| years1 = 1994–1995 | clubs1 = Barcelona B | caps1 = 14 | goals1 = 3

| years2 = 1995–1999 | clubs2 = Barcelona | caps2 = 72 | goals2 = 4

| years3 = 1999–2000 | clubs3 = Celta | caps3 = 24 | goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2000–2005 | clubs4 = Real Madrid | caps4 = 56 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2003–2004 | clubs5 = → Bordeaux (loan) | caps5 = 27 | goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2005–2008 | clubs6 = Zaragoza | caps6 = 71 | goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2009 | clubs7 = New York Red Bulls | caps7 = 17 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2010 | clubs8 = Kitchee | caps8 = 0 | goals8 = 0

| totalcaps = 281 | totalgoals = 15

| nationalyears1 = 1991–1992 | nationalteam1 = Spain U16 | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1992 | nationalteam2 = Spain U17 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1993–1994 | nationalteam3 = Spain U18 | nationalcaps3 = 8 | nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 1996–1998 | nationalteam4 = Spain U21 | nationalcaps4 = 8 | nationalgoals4 = 1

| nationalyears5 = 1998–2000 | nationalteam5 = Spain | nationalcaps5 = 4 | nationalgoals5 = 0

| nationalyears6 = 1998–2005 | nationalteam6 = Catalonia | nationalcaps6 = 7 | nationalgoals6 = 1

| manageryears1 = 2013–2014 | managerclubs1 = Spain U16

| manageryears2 = 2014–2018 | managerclubs2 = Spain U21

| manageryears3 = 2017 | managerclubs3 = Spain U17

| manageryears4 = 2018 | managerclubs4 = Spain (assistant)

| manageryears5 = 2018 | managerclubs5 = Real Madrid (assistant)

| manageryears6 = 2019–2020 | managerclubs6 = Valencia

| medaltemplates = {{medalSport|Men's football}}

{{Medal|Country|{{fb|ESP}}}} (as manager)

}}

Albert Celades López (born 29 September 1975) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, currently a manager.

A tactically astute player with a strong defensive mentality, he was best known for his stints with Barcelona and Real Madrid,{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01a2-0e6b319e8fee-9843f2b769ce-1000--salad-days-for-celades/|title=Salad days for Celades|publisher=UEFA|first=Andy|last=Hall|date=26 October 2004|access-date=21 April 2010}} and he amassed La Liga total of 223 matches and eight goals over 12 seasons, totalling ten major titles with the clubs.

Celades appeared with the Spain national team at the 1998 World Cup.

Playing career

=Club=

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Celades – who left Barcelona at age seven with his family to live in Andorra{{cite web|url=http://www.metrofanatic.com/story.jsp?ID=5093|title=Media day with Albert Celades|publisher=Metro Fanatic|date=16 March 2009|access-date=22 March 2009}}– was a product of FC Barcelona's youth system. He made his debut with the main squad during 1995–96, and finished his first professional season with 16 games and two goals as the Catalans finished third in La Liga. Nevertheless, he would still spend another full campaign with the reserves.

Celades played 36 matches in 1997–98, mostly as a sweeper,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1998/01/23/pagina-16/1393853/pdf.html|title=La zaga sufre más, pero encaja menos|trans-title=Back-four suffer more, but concede less|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first1=Eduardo|last1=Polo|first2=Joan|last2=Poquí|language=es|date=23 January 1998|access-date=13 May 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1998/04/04/pagina-12/393895/pdf.html|title="Me quedo"|trans-title="I'm staying"|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first1=Manuel|last1=Segura|first2=Eduardo|last2=Polo|language=es|date=4 April 1998|access-date=9 June 2020}} as the Louis van Gaal-led team conquered the national title after a three-year drought. He also started both legs of the 1997 UEFA Super Cup, helping to a 3–1 aggregate victory over Borussia Dortmund, but appeared less significantly in the following season, with Barça renewing their domestic supremacy.

After a year with RC Celta de Vigo, Celades moved to Real Madrid, against which he had scored the winner (1–0) in the previous campaign, on 28 November 1999.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1999/11/29/pagina-22/428744/pdf.html|title=Celades tumba al Madrid|trans-title=Celades downs Madrid|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Antonio|last=Mínguez|language=es|date=29 November 1999|access-date=13 May 2013}} He featured sparingly over four seasons, but added two league trophies and the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League to his résumé. He also spent 2003–04 on loan to Ligue 1 side FC Girondins de Bordeaux.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0194-0e6a6d58a049-9c06bea61503-1000--celades-bound-for-bordeaux/|title=Celades bound for Bordeaux|publisher=UEFA|date=19 August 2003|access-date=21 April 2010}}

From 2005 to 2008, Celades represented Real Zaragoza.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news/01ac-0e6ce764c3c3-85539080a379-1000--celades-to-settle-at-zaragoza/|title=Celades to settle at Zaragoza|publisher=UEFA|date=29 August 2005|access-date=4 May 2022}} In his first year he helped the club reach the Copa del Rey final, and would be relatively used during his tenure as the Aragonese were relegated at the end of 2007–08, and the player was released after his contract expired. In February 2009, he went on trial with the New York Red Bulls in the Major League Soccer{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/02/celades-among-the-red-bulls-new-trialists.html#more|title=Celades among the Red Bulls new trialists|publisher=Soccer By Ives|first=Ives|last=Galarcep|date=22 February 2009|access-date=22 February 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924103255/http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/02/celades-among-the-red-bulls-new-trialists.html#more|archive-date=24 September 2015}} and, after impressing, signed in March.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2009/03/11/futbol/futbol_internacional/espanoles_mundo/1236792934.html|title=Celades jugará en los New York Red Bulls|trans-title=Celades will play in the New York Red Bulls|newspaper=Marca|language=es|date=11 March 2009|access-date=16 March 2009}}

Celades retired from competitive football on 24 October 2009, immediately following the conclusion of the season.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009-10-23-1358300433_x.htm|title=Red Bulls MF Albert Celades to retire Saturday|newspaper=USA Today|date=23 October 2009|access-date=23 October 2009}} In early 2010, however, Kitchee SC from Hong Kong signed him alongside compatriot Agustín Aranzábal; they both appeared with the team at the 2010 Lunar New Year Cup, a mid-season exhibition tournament.{{cite news|url=http://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/20100206/celades-jugara-con-kitchee-hong-kong/print-841256.shtml|title=Celades jugará con el Kitchee de Hong Kong|trans-title=Celades will play with Hong Kong's Kitchee|newspaper=Sport|language=es|date=6 February 2010|access-date=19 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102807/http://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/20100206/celades-jugara-con-kitchee-hong-kong/print-841256.shtml|archive-date=4 March 2016}}

=International=

Celades played four times for Spain, and was a participant at the 1998 FIFA World Cup with two substitute appearances against Nigeria{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/matches/match=8731/index.html|title=Long-suffering Spain stunned by Oliseh sizzler|publisher=FIFA|date=13 June 1998|access-date=4 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710235806/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/matches/match%3D8731/index.html|archive-date=10 July 2012}} and Paraguay{{cite web|url=http://www.soccertimes.com/worldcup/1998/games/jun19.htm|title=World Cup: Nigeria third to clinch second round|publisher=Soccer Times|first=Jerry|last=Langdon|date=19 June 1998|access-date=4 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235357/http://www.soccertimes.com/worldcup/1998/games/jun19.htm|archive-date=3 March 2016}} in an eventual group-stage exit. His debut was on 3 June of that year, in a 4–1 friendly defeat of Northern Ireland in Santander where he started and played the entire game.{{cite news|url=http://elpais.com/diario/1998/06/04/deportes/896911202_850215.html|title=Abundante munición para Francia|trans-title=Ammonition aplenty for France|newspaper=El País|first=Cayetano|last=Ros|language=es|date=4 June 1998|access-date=23 May 2014}}

Celades' last match consisted of 30 minutes in a 2–1 away victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. He also represented the non-FIFA Catalonia side, scoring on his debut in a 5–0 defeat of Nigeria on 22 December 1998.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD03/HEM/1998/12/23/MD19981223-004.pdf|title=Catalunya da una exhibición de fútbol y goles ante Nigeria|trans-title=Catalonia put on a show of football and goals against Nigeria|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Joan|last=Domènech|language=es|date=23 December 1998|access-date=17 November 2019}}

Coaching career

On 7 May 2014, after Julen Lopetegui left for FC Porto, Celades was named manager of the Spanish under-21s after leaving the under-16 team.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/under21/news/0257-0ded0da452dc-b593c8e417b7-1000--celades-takes-up-spain-under-21-reins/|title=Celades takes up Spain Under-21 reins|publisher=UEFA|date=7 May 2014|access-date=20 June 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/futbol/2014-05-07/albert-celades-nuevo-seleccionador-sub-21_126741/|title=Albert Celades, nuevo seleccionador sub-21|trans-title=Albert Celades, new under-21 manager|newspaper=El Confidencial|language=es|date=7 May 2014|access-date=14 March 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sefutbol.com/en/official-albert-celades-takes-u21|title=OFFICIAL: Albert Celades takes on the U21|publisher=Royal Spanish Football Federation|date=7 May 2014|access-date=3 August 2018}} In October, the former lost their play-off against Serbia for entrance to the 2015 UEFA European Championship, in which they would have been defending champions; the 1–2 second leg loss in Cádiz was their first in 35 games.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/14/spain-under-21s-eliminated-serbia-european-championships|title=Holders Spain knocked out of European Under-21 Championship by Serbia|newspaper=The Guardian|date=14 October 2014|access-date=14 March 2016}}

On 18 July 2018, Celades resigned from his position at the Royal Spanish Football Federation after five years managing the youth sides, also having acted as assistant to the seniors during the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and UEFA Euro 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/deportes/futbol-00162/mundial-00639/noticia-albert-celades-incorpora-cuerpo-tecnico-absoluta-mundial-brasil-20140610192212.html|title=Albert Celades se incorpora al cuerpo técnico de la absoluta para el Mundial de Brasil|trans-title=Albert Celades added to full side coaching staff for Brazil World Cup|publisher=Europa Press|language=es|date=10 June 2014|access-date=28 September 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/deportes/2016/05/31/actualidad/1464710610_277737.html|title=Isco y Saúl fuera de la lista de Del Bosque para la Eurocopa 2016|trans-title=Isco and Saúl out of Del Bosque's list for 2016 European Championship|newspaper=El País|first=Luis|last=Martín|language=es|date=31 May 2016|access-date=28 September 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.estadiodeportivo.com/selecciones/2018/01/24/celades-seleccion-optimista-realista-mundial-rusia/141890.html|title=Celades: "La selección es optimista, pero realista, ante el Mundial de Rusia"|trans-title=Celades: "The national team is optimistic, but realistic, regarding the Russia World Cup"|newspaper=Estadio Deportivo|language=es|date=28 January 2018|access-date=28 September 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.elespanol.com/deportes/futbol/mundial/20180617/entrenadores-mundial-llevan-pinganillo-banquillo/315718713_0.html|title=¿Por qué los entrenadores del Mundial llevan un pinganillo en el banquillo?|trans-title=Why do World Cup managers wear an earpiece on the bench?|newspaper=El Español|first=Daniel|last=Calle|language=es|date=17 June 2018|access-date=28 September 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sefutbol.com/en/albert-celades-bids-farewell-rfef|title=Albert Celades bids farewell to the RFEF|publisher=Royal Spanish Football Federation|date=18 July 2018|access-date=3 August 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924222730/http://www.sefutbol.com/en/albert-celades-bids-farewell-rfef|archive-date=24 September 2018}} On 3 August he was appointed as assistant coach of Real Madrid, reuniting with Lopetegui after their period at the Spanish Federation.{{cite web|url=https://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2018/08/celades-joins-real-madrid-as-julen-lopeteguis-assistant-coach?pid=1394215343652|title=Celades joins Real Madrid as Julen Lopetegui's assistant coach|publisher=Real Madrid CF|date=3 August 2018|access-date=3 August 2018}}

On 11 September 2019, Celades became manager of Valencia CF following the dismissal of Marcelino García Toral.{{cite web|url=https://www.valenciacf.com/en/article/en-official-statement-albert-celades-2019-09-11|title=Official statement {{!}} Albert Celades|publisher=Valencia CF|date=11 September 2019|access-date=11 September 2019}} His first match in charge took place three days later, in a 5–2 away defeat to his former club Barcelona.{{cite web|url=https://www.beinsports.com/en/la-liga/video/barcelona-5-2-valencia-fati-stars-as-celade-1/1293013|title=Barcelona 5–2 Valencia: Fati stars as Celades endures miserable first match|publisher=beIN Sports|date=14 September 2019|access-date=17 September 2019}} The following week, all players refused to accompany him at a press conference ahead of the Champions League fixture against Chelsea, in solidarity with his predecessor.{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-vs-valencia-albert-celades-plays-down-player-unrest-marcelino-exit-a4238321.html|title=Chelsea vs Valencia: Albert Celades plays down player unrest after Marcelino exit|newspaper=Evening Standard|first=Andy|last=Sims|date=16 September 2019|access-date=17 September 2019}}

Celades was relieved of his duties on 29 June 2020, with the team ranked in eighth and six games to go.{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/voro-appointed-valencia-manager-for-sixth-time-after-celades/7vphs0kiv3jl12jjaydnx08j9|title=Voro appointed Valencia manager for sixth time after Celades' sacking|publisher=Goal|first=Tom|last=Webber|date=30 June 2020|access-date=30 June 2020}}

Managerial statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
rowspan="2" \|Team ! rowspan="2" \|Nat ! rowspan="2" \|From ! rowspan="2"\|To !colspan=8\| Record
{{Tooltip\| G\| Games managed}} !{{Tooltip\| W\| Wins}} !{{Tooltip\| D\| Draws}} !{{Tooltip\| L\| Losses}} !{{Tooltip\| GF\| Goals for}} !{{Tooltip\| GA\| Goals against}} !{{Tooltip\| GD\| Goal difference}} !{{Tooltip\| Win %\| Winning percentage}}
Spain U16 \| {{flagicon\|Spain}} \| 1 July 2013 \| 7 May 2014 {{WDL\|2\|1\|0\|1\|for=3\|against=4\|diff=yes}}
Spain U21 \| {{flagicon\|Spain}} \| 7 May 2014 \| 18 July 2018 {{WDL\|34\|24\|6\|4\|for=82\|against=28\|diff=yes}}
Valencia \| {{flagicon\|Spain}} \| 11 September 2019 \| 29 June 2020 {{WDL\|41\|15\|12\|14\|for=54\|against=64\|diff=yes}}
colspan=4\| Career totals {{WDLtot\|81\|43\|19\|19\|for=147\|against=98\|diff=yes}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Managerial record by team and tenure

rowspan="2" |Team

! rowspan="2" |Nat

! rowspan="2" |From

! rowspan="2"|To

!colspan=8| Record

!{{Tooltip| W| Wins}}

!{{Tooltip| D| Draws}}

!{{Tooltip| L| Losses}}

!{{Tooltip| GF| Goals for}}

!{{Tooltip| GA| Goals against}}