Juan Sánchez (footballer, born 1972)

{{short description|Spanish former professional footballer (born 1972)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Juan Sánchez

| image = Juan Sanchez.jpg

| caption = Sánchez in 2009

| fullname = Juan Ginés Sánchez Moreno{{cite news|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/envivos/fichas/1/127/383.html|title=Juan Ginés Sánchez Moreno, JUAN SÁNCHEZ|newspaper=El Mundo|language=es|access-date=15 January 2021}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|5|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Aldaia, Spain

| height = 1.72 m

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Valencia

| years1 = 1991–1993 | clubs1 = Valencia B | caps1 = 20 | goals1 = 5

| years2 = 1992–1994 | clubs2 = Valencia | caps2 = 17 | goals2 = 3

| years3 = 1993–1994 | clubs3 = → Mallorca (loan) | caps3 = 37 | goals3 = 16

| years4 = 1994–1999 | clubs4 = Celta | caps4 = 159 | goals4 = 38

| years5 = 1999–2004 | clubs5 = Valencia | caps5 = 125 | goals5 = 27

| years6 = 2004–2006 | clubs6 = Celta | caps6 = 23 | goals6 = 5

| totalcaps = 381 | totalgoals = 94

| nationalyears1 = 1992–1993 | nationalteam1 = Spain U21 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1998 | nationalteam2 = Spain | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Juan Ginés Sánchez Moreno (born 15 May 1972) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker.

In a career almost entirely associated to Valencia – which he helped to two La Liga titles – and Celta, he scored 89 goals as a professional in 361 games.

Club career

Born in Aldaia, Valencian Community, Sánchez started playing professionally for Valencia CF, and his first La Liga appearance was on 25 October 1992 in a 3–0 loss at FC Barcelona.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1992/10/26/pagina-2/1266185/pdf.html|title=El Barça vuelve a mostrarse arrollador|trans-title=Barça a crushing machine again|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Andrés|last=Astruells|language=es|date=26 October 1992|access-date=26 April 2017}} In the season's closing stages he scored his first goal(s) for the Che, having come on as a late substitute in a 2–0 home win over RCD Español.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1993/06/07/pagina-11/1266231/pdf.html|title=El Español no detiene su crisis|trans-title=Español cannot halt crisis|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Manuel|last=C. Cánovas|language=es|date=7 June 1993|access-date=26 April 2017}}

After a successful loan stint in the Segunda División with RCD Mallorca, Sánchez signed with RC Celta de Vigo, becoming an important attacking element in the Galicians' domestic and European consolidation. In his last two seasons, as they finished respectively sixth and fifth, he totalled 22 goals, eventually returning to his first club.{{cite web|url=http://www.yojugueenelcelta.com/2008/04/juan-snchez.html|title=Juan Sánchez|publisher=Yo Jugué en el Celta|language=es|date=18 April 2008|access-date=2 December 2014}}

Sánchez scored 12 times in the league in the 2000–01 campaign, notably back-to-back braces against CD Numancia (3–0){{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2000/09/25/deportes/969832824_850215.html|title=El Valencia golea al Numancia pese a jugar un partido|trans-title=Valencia rout Numancia in spite of playing a horrible match|newspaper=El País|first=Juan|last=Pérez Ortiz|language=es|date=25 September 2000|access-date=15 January 2021}} and UD Las Palmas (5–1).{{cite news|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2000/10/1/deportes/970431368.html|title=El Valencia muerde|trans-title=Valencia bite|newspaper=El Mundo|language=es|date=1 October 2000|access-date=15 January 2021}} He added a further two in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Leeds United for a 3–0 home victory,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/champions_league/1317114.stm|title=Leeds' luck runs out in Valencia|publisher=BBC Sport|date=8 May 2001|access-date=27 May 2010}} being replaced in the final loss to FC Bayern Munich.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/champions_league/1346307.stm|title=Bayern crowned European champions|publisher=BBC Sport|date=23 May 2001|access-date=26 April 2017}}

Subsequently, after appearing in 25 games in the team's 2001–02 league conquest, Sánchez's importance lessened dramatically in his final season, where he played only ten matches for the champions, no complete ones. He retired aged 34 following a second stint at Celta, which he helped achieve a return to the top tier.

Sánchez became Valencia's sporting director in April 2008, succeeding Miguel Ángel Ruiz and leaving the post in August.{{cite news|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/08/25/valencia/1219677144.html|title=Juan Sánchez deja la secretaría técnica del Valencia y se desvincula del club|trans-title=Juan Sánchez no longer technical secretary at Valencia and cuts ties with club|newspaper=El Mundo|language=es|date=25 August 2008|access-date=15 January 2021}} In June 2009 he moved to R.E. Mouscron from Belgium in the same capacity, rejoining former Valencia teammates Amedeo Carboni and Miroslav Đukić – the latter being signed as head coach.{{cite news|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/deportes/2009/11/03/djukic-dimite-tecnico-excelsior-mouscron-bajar-cuarta-deudas/0003_8080622.htm|title=Djukic dimite como técnico del Excelsior Mouscron, que podría bajar a Cuarta por las deudas|trans-title=Djukic resigns as manager of Excelsior Mouscron, who could be relegated to the Fourth for debts|newspaper=La Voz de Galicia|language=es|date=3 November 2009|access-date=26 June 2018}}

International career

Sánchez earned one cap for Spain, playing 12 minutes in a 2–2 friendly against Italy on 18 November 1998 in Salerno.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1998/11/19/pagina-17/400568/pdf.html|title=Notable alto|trans-title=B Plus|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Javier|last=Gascón|language=es|date=19 November 1998|access-date=8 August 2013}}