Álvaro Cervera Díaz is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a winger, and the current manager of Cádiz CF. He amassed La Liga totals of 261 matches and 17 goals over 12 seasons, representing in the competition Racing de Santander, Mallorca and Valencia. Cervera became a manager in 2002, going on to work with a host of clubs.
Playing career
Club
Born in Santa Isabel, Spanish Guinea when both his parents worked in that country, Cervera was raised in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and played youth football for four clubs, finishing his formation at Racing de Santander. He made his La Liga debut on 9 September 1984 by playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–1 away loss against Real Valladolid, but only appeared in seven games in his first two senior seasons combined, featuring much more regularly in 1986–87 but suffering relegation. In the summer of 1987, Álvaro – known by his first name during his playing days – signed for RCD Mallorca, remaining five years with them and being relegated twice from the top flight. In the 1988–89 campaign he scored a career-best six goals in 35 matches, helping the Balearic Islands team promote from Segunda División. Álvaro moved to Valencia CF in June 1992, following Mallorca's relegation. He made 32 appearances and netted three times in his first year, but was more often than not a reserve from there onwards, for that and his following club Racing, which he left to play with Hércules CF in the second level; he retired in 2001 at the age of nearly 36, following a spell in the lower leagues.
Cervera took up coaching in 2001, working with amateurs Catarroja CF in several capacities. From 2004 to 2011 he managed almost exclusively in Segunda División B, and his first job at the professional level arrived in 2011–12 when he was appointed at Recreativo de Huelva in division two; however, in March 2012, he arranged to have his contract terminated when he received an offer from former side Racing Santander in the top tier, but he only collected three draws in his 13 games in charge to become the competition's worst ever debutant, and was not renewed. On 3 July 2012, Cervera signed with Tenerife where he had already played youth football more than 30 years ago. Shortly before achieving promotion to the second division in his debut season, he renewed his link until 2015, being however relieved of his duties on 2 February 2015 even though he had a contract running until 2018. On 18 April 2016, Cervera replaced Claudio Barragán at the helm of Cádiz CF, and managed to achieve promotion to the second level at the end of the campaign. After coming fifth the following season, the team qualified for the play-offs for top-flight promotion, losing on regulations after a 1–1 semi-final draw with CD Tenerife in June 2017; promotion was finally gained in July 2020, ending a 14-year exile.
