Míchel (footballer, born 1975)


Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñoz, known as Míchel, is a Spanish former footballer who played as a left midfielder, and the current manager of SD Huesca.
During his 20-year senior career, he amassed La Liga totals of 182 matches and 25 goals, adding 169 games and 18 goals in Segunda División and playing mostly with Rayo Vallecano.

Playing career

Míchel was born in Madrid. A product of Rayo Vallecano's youth system, he appeared once for the first team in the 1993–94 season, then alternated between them and the reserves two more years.
After one loan to UD Almería in the third division, Míchel returned to Rayo, being essential as the capital outskirts side finished ninth in the 1999–2000 campaign and qualified for the subsequent UEFA Cup through fair play, in a run that ended in the quarter-finals at the hands of fellow La Liga club Deportivo Alavés. The following season he scored a career-best ten goals in 33 games, as his team ranked 14th.
Míchel moved in 2003 to Real Murcia for €2,7 million, being relatively used in his first year, which ended in top flight relegation. He appeared very rarely, however, in his final two seasons, which included a six-month loan spell with Málaga CF in 2004–05, where he was also sparingly used.
In July 2006, Míchel returned home and to Rayo, helping it return to the second level in the 2007–08 season. He continued to be team captain and, during the 2010–11 campaign, still contributed with two goals in 20 matches as they returned to the top tier after eight years.

Coaching career

On 9 July 2012, after having appeared in only nine games as Rayo retained its league status – just 246 minutes of action – 36-year-old Míchel retired from football, being immediately appointed coach of his main club's youth sides. On 21 February 2017, he replaced Rubén Baraja at the helm of the first team, eventually achieving promotion to the top tier in the 2017–18 campaign as champions.
Míchel was dismissed on 18 March 2019, being subsequently replaced by Paco Jémez. On 1 June, he was named manager of SD Huesca, recently relegated to the second division; he and his side won another promotion, again in the top position.

Managerial statistics

Honours

Manager

Rayo Vallecano
Huesca