Enrique "Quique" Álvarez Sanjuán is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender and who currently the assistant coach of Villarreal. During a 16-year professional career he appeared in 369 games, 200 of those in La Liga. Having started his career at Barcelona, where he had no impact for its first team – one match – he would be an important member of Villarreal's top flight consolidation, representing the club for seven years.
Playing career
Álvarez was born in Vigo, Galicia. Grown through the ranks of FC Barcelona, he played only one La Liga game for the Catalans in the 1995–96 season, then spent one loan stint with CD Logroñés before being released, after which he joined Barça neighbours UE Lleida. Álvarez made a name as a top level player during his stay at Villarreal CF, where he was team captain when a starter. Having managed 250 overall appearances – 188 of those in the top level, second-most for the club behind Argentine Rodolfo Arruabarrena– his role would diminish in the 2006–07 campaign however, as Villarreal finished fifth. In July 2007, Álvarez joined Recreativo de Huelva, where his season would be constantly bothered by injuries. In one of his few league appearances, on 1 March 2008, he was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Real Madrid's Arjen Robben, after just six minutes on the pitch, during a 2–3 home loss. In 2008–09 he only took part in one league game for already doomed Recre, a 1–2 loss at Sporting de Gijón in the last round, and was subsequently released.
Coaching career
Retired at 34, Álvarez moved into coaching, starting with Barcelona's Juvenil A. In 2017 he left the barcelona youth team. On 10 December 2018 he joined his former club Villarreal as an assistant coach under Javier Calleja. On 10 December 2018 he left the club with the Javier Calleja after the dismissal and return to the club with him in 29 January 2019 as an assistant.
Álvarez's father, Quique Costas, also a footballer and a defender, played professionally with RC Celta de Vigo and Barcelona. He later became a manager, coinciding with his son on one occasion. Álvarez's younger brother, Óscar, who occupied the same position, played mainly in divisions two and three.
