Javi Gracia

Not to be confused with Javi García.

Javi Gracia

Personal information
Full name	Javier Gracia Carlos
Date of birth	(1970-05-01) 1 May 1970
Place of birth	Pamplona, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Rubin Kazan (coach)
Youth career
	Chantrea
	Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1992	Bilbao Athletic	100	(12)
1992–1993	Lleida	38	(12)
1993–1995	Valladolid	65	(2)
1995–1999	Real Sociedad	106	(12)
1999–2002	Villarreal	82	(6)
2003–2004	Córdoba	39	(0)
Total		430	(44)
International career
1989–1990	Spain U20	3	(0)
1991	Spain U21	1	(0)
Managerial career
2004–2005	Villarreal (youth)
2007–2008	Pontevedra
2008–2010	Cádiz
2010–2011	Villarreal B
2011	Olympiakos Volou
2011–2012	Kerkyra
2012–2013	Almería
2013–2014	Osasuna
2014–2016	Málaga
2016–	Rubin Kazan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Gracia and the second or maternal family name is Carlos.

Javier 'Javi' Gracia Carlos (born 1 May 1970) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and the current manager of Russian club FC Rubin Kazan.

Playing career

Born in Pamplona, Navarre, Gracia started playing professionally with Bilbao Athletic, Athletic Bilbao's reserves, never appearing officially for the first team during three years. In the 1992–93 campaign, he scored a career-best 12 goals in all 38 games as UE Lleida returned to La Liga after an absence of more than 40 years, as champions.

Gracia spent the following six seasons in the top flight, appearing regularly for both Real Valladolid and Real Sociedad safe for his last year (15 matches, one goal). In 1999 he returned to Segunda División and signed for Villarreal CF, helping the Valencian club promote to the top division after one year, and being regularly used in the following campaign – 1,765 minutes of action – as the team easily maintained their division status.

In January 2003, after being scarcely played in his last one-and-a-half seasons at Villarreal, 32-year-old Gracia joined Córdoba CF in the second level, closing out his career in June of the following year. He appeared in 229 Spanish top division games over the course of nine seasons, netting 17 goals.

Coaching career

After starting his manager career with former club Villarreal (youth sides), Gracia spent in Segunda División B, with Pontevedra CF, finishing first and second with the team in the regular season, but always falling short in the promotion playoffs.

In 2008–09, still in division three, Gracia finally achieved promotion, now with Cádiz CF, but he was fired midway through the following season as the Andalusians were immediately relegated back. In the 2010–11 campaign, with Villarreal's reserves, he managed to avert a drop also in the second tier.

After one year in Greece, Gracia returned to his country, leading UD Almería back to the top flight in 2013 but being dismissed shortly after. On 4 September of that year he was appointed at CA Osasuna, replacing fired José Luis Mendilibar.

On 30 May 2014, Gracia was named the new manager of Málaga CF. During his two-year tenure, he led the team to the ninth and eighth position, respectively.

Honours

Player

• Segunda División: 1992–93

Manager

• Segunda División B: 2006–07, 2008–09

External links

• Javi Gracia profile at BDFutbol
• Javi Gracia manager profile at BDFutbol