Ángel Pedraza
Encyclopedia
Ángel Pedraza Lamilla was a Spanish
professional footballer who played as a defender
and a midfielder
.
, Province of Seville, Pedraza joined FC Barcelona
's youth ranks, and spent two seasons with the reserves
in Segunda División
. On 16 September 1980, László Kubala granted him the opportunity to play in one UEFA Cup match against Sliema Wanderers
in Malta
, and he became the first La Masia
player ever to appear for the main squad.
In January 1986, with Terry Venables
as a coach, he made his La Liga
debut with the first team, with which he would play a further three years, being mostly used as a backup.
In the 1986 European Cup Final
, Pedraza was one of four Barça players - the others were José Ramón Alexanko
, Pichi Alonso
and Marcos - to have their penalty shootout attempts saved by FC Steaua Bucureşti goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam
, as the Catalans
lost the decisive match in Seville
(0–0 after 120 minutes).
He signed with RCD Mallorca
in the 1988 off-season, with the Balearic Islands
outfit being coached by a young Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, who relocated the player from central midfielder to fullback. In his first season, Pedraza was an essential defensive unit (3,241 minutes, one goal) as the club returned to La Liga
, and also reached the Copa del Rey
final in 1991; during six of his seven years with the team, he did not appear in less than 30 league games, and retired from football in 1997 at the age of 35, after a two-year stint with amateurs CF Sóller
, also in Majorca.
's juniors, joining the B team
afterwards.
Pedraza then spent three seasons in Segunda División B
, first with Benidorm CF then Villarreal CF B
. After one year in Greece
, split between two teams, he returned to his country and took charge of amateurs CD Atlético Baleares
, helping it promote
from Tercera División
, as champions.
In July 2010, despite being already suffering from cancer, Pedraza agreed to take over at CE L'Hospitalet in the third level. He was however removed from his managerial duties after only three months. On 8 January 2011, aged only 48, he succumbed to the illness.
Mallorca
, is also a professional footballer. A midfielder, he was brought up in Espanyol's youth system, being coached by his father at Hospitalet, with the manager being sacked precisely after the player's debut.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
professional footballer who played as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
and a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Playing career
Born in La RinconadaLa Rinconada
La Rinconada is a city located in the province of Seville, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the city has a population of 33370 inhabitants.-External links:* - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...
, Province of Seville, Pedraza joined FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
's youth ranks, and spent two seasons with the reserves
FC Barcelona B
Futbol Club Barcelona B is a Spanish football team. They are the reserve team of FC Barcelona. Reserve teams in the Spanish football league system play in the same football pyramid as their senior team rather than a separate league. However reserve teams cannot play in the same division as their...
in Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
. On 16 September 1980, László Kubala granted him the opportunity to play in one UEFA Cup match against Sliema Wanderers
Sliema Wanderers F.C.
Sliema Wanderers Football Club are a Maltese football team from the town of Sliema, which currently plays in the Maltese Premier League.-History:The club was founded in 1909...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, and he became the first La Masia
La Masia
La Masia de Can Planes, usually shortened to La Masia, , is the name given to FC Barcelona's training facilities located near the Camp Nou in the Les Corts district of Barcelona, and is often used to generically describe the youth academy of Barcelona....
player ever to appear for the main squad.
In January 1986, with Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
as a coach, he made his La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
debut with the first team, with which he would play a further three years, being mostly used as a backup.
In the 1986 European Cup Final
1986 European Cup Final
The 1986 European Cup Final was a football match held at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, on 7 May 1986, that saw Steaua Bucureşti of Romania defeat Barcelona of Spain in an extraordinary penalty shoot out, after 120 minutes of play could not separate the two sides...
, Pedraza was one of four Barça players - the others were José Ramón Alexanko
José Ramón Alexanko
José Ramón Alexanko Ventosa , also referred to as Alesanco or Alexanco, is a retired Spanish footballer and manager....
, Pichi Alonso
Pichi Alonso
Àngel “Pichi” Alonso Herrera is a former Spanish footballer, and a current coach....
and Marcos - to have their penalty shootout attempts saved by FC Steaua Bucureşti goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam
Helmuth Duckadam
Helmuth Robert Duckadam is a retired Romanian footballer who played as a goalkeeper.He was dubbed "the hero of Seville" due to his heroics in the 1986 European Cup Final, won by his main club, Steaua Bucureşti...
, as the Catalans
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
lost the decisive match in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
(0–0 after 120 minutes).
He signed with RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
in the 1988 off-season, with the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
outfit being coached by a young Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, who relocated the player from central midfielder to fullback. In his first season, Pedraza was an essential defensive unit (3,241 minutes, one goal) as the club returned to La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, and also reached the Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
final in 1991; during six of his seven years with the team, he did not appear in less than 30 league games, and retired from football in 1997 at the age of 35, after a two-year stint with amateurs CF Sóller
CF Sóller
The Club de Fútbol Sóller is a Spanish football team based in Sóller in the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. Founded on 13 June 1923, it currently plays in Primera Regional Preferente ....
, also in Majorca.
Coaching career
Immediately after retiring, Pedraza started managing, spending five years with several youth sides at former club Barcelona. In 2002, he moved across the city and coached RCD EspanyolRCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
's juniors, joining the B team
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
afterwards.
Pedraza then spent three seasons in Segunda División B
Segunda División B
Segunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the Primera División, and the Segunda División. Immediately below Segunda División B is the Tercera Division...
, first with Benidorm CF then Villarreal CF B
Villarreal CF B
Villarreal Club de Fútbol B is a Spanish football team based in Villarreal, in the autonomous community of Valencia. Founded in 1999, it is the reserve team of Villarreal CF, and plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Ciudad Deportiva Villarreal CF, with a 5,000-seat capacity.Unlike in...
. After one year in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, split between two teams, he returned to his country and took charge of amateurs CD Atlético Baleares
CD Atlético Baleares
Club Deportivo Atlético Baleares is a Spanish football team based in Palma, Majorca, in the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. Founded on 27 May 1942, it currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 3.-History:...
, helping it promote
2009–10 Tercera División
The Spanish 2009–10 Tercera División started on 29 August 2009 and ended on 20 June 2010 with the promotion play-off finals.-League table:-Group I:-Group II:-Group III:-Group IV:-Group V:-Group VI:-Group VII:-Group VIII:-Group IX:...
from Tercera División
Tercera División
Tercera División is the fourth level of the Spanish football league system. The top three are the Primera División, often referred to as "La Liga" in English, the Segunda División, and Segunda División B.-Current Format:...
, as champions.
In July 2010, despite being already suffering from cancer, Pedraza agreed to take over at CE L'Hospitalet in the third level. He was however removed from his managerial duties after only three months. On 8 January 2011, aged only 48, he succumbed to the illness.
Player
Barcelona- Spanish CupCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: 1987–88 - Spanish League CupCopa de la LigaThe Copa de la Liga was a Spanish football tournament created in 1982.Due to time constraints, saturation and club pressure, the competition only lasted four years, being cancelled in 1986...
: 1985–86 - European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: Runner-up 1985–86
Mallorca
- Spanish CupCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: Runner-up 1990–91
Manager
Atlético Baleares- Fourth DivisionTercera DivisiónTercera División is the fourth level of the Spanish football league system. The top three are the Primera División, often referred to as "La Liga" in English, the Segunda División, and Segunda División B.-Current Format:...
: 2009–10
Personal life
Pedraza's son, MarcMarc Pedraza
Marc Pedraza Sarto is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CE L'Hospitalet as a midfielder.-Football career:...
, is also a professional footballer. A midfielder, he was brought up in Espanyol's youth system, being coached by his father at Hospitalet, with the manager being sacked precisely after the player's debut.