Gerard López

Gerard López Segú (Catalan pronunciation: [ʒəˈɾaɾt ˈlopəs]; born 12 March 1979), usually known as just Gerard, is a Spanish former professional footballer, currently manager of the Catalonia national team. An all-around midfielder, he was known for precision passes and ball control skills. During his career, he played for several clubs including Barcelona and Valencia, helping the latter to reach the 2000 Champions League final.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is López and the second or maternal family name is Segú.
Gerard
Gerard as a Recreativo player in 2008
Personal information
Full name Gerard López Segú[1]
Date of birth (1979-03-12) 12 March 1979[1]
Place of birth Granollers, Spain[1]
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Catalonia (manager)
Youth career
1989–1993 Granollers
1993–1996 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 Barcelona B 32 (10)
1997–2000 Valencia 45 (4)
1998–1999 → Alavés (loan) 29 (7)
2000–2005 Barcelona 91 (5)
2005–2007 Monaco 13 (1)
2007–2008 Recreativo 18 (0)
2009–2011 Girona 31 (4)
Total 259 (31)
International career
1996–1998 Spain U18 9 (5)
1997 Spain U20 4 (0)
1998–2000 Spain U21 10 (5)
2000 Spain 6 (2)
1998–2008 Catalonia 6 (2)
Managerial career
2013–2016 Catalonia
2015–2018 Barcelona B
2018– Catalonia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Over nine seasons, Gerard amassed La Liga totals of 183 matches and 16 goals. He participated with Spain at Euro 2000.

Club career

Barcelona and Valencia

Born in Granollers, Barcelona, Catalonia, Gerard began his career in the FC Barcelona youth system and, in the 1996–97 season, made his professional debut with its B team. As a 17-year-old he was signed by Valencia CF, making his La Liga debut on 31 August 1997 in a 2–1 away loss against RCD Mallorca (90 minutes played);[2] for the 1998–99 campaign he was loaned to Deportivo Alavés, which had returned to the top flight after a four-decade absence.[3]

After a breakout season with the Basque side, scoring a squad-best seven goals,[4] Gerard returned to Valencia, helping them to reach the final of the UEFA Champions League.[5] During this time with the Che, he came to be regarded as one of the top players in Spain and, after receiving interest from several top clubs in Europe, including Inter Milan, A.C. Milan and Manchester United, he decided to join his former club Barcelona in July 2000, in a deal worth €24 million;[6] when he netted three times for Valencia against SS Lazio on 5 April 2000, he became the youngest player ever to achieve this feat in the knockout stages of the Champions League.[7]

Gerard would go on to appear regularly for the team during his five-year second spell, although never an undisputed starter. Injuries also began to curtail his career.[8][9][10]

Monaco and retirement

After leaving Barça with the 2005 national championship, Gerard moved abroad, spending two unassuming seasons with France's AS Monaco FC,[11] also being severely injured.[12] He returned to Spain for 2007–08, with top-division Recreativo de Huelva.[13]

After rejecting a move to PAOK FC, Gerard trained for a few months with lowly EC Granollers, in Preferent Territorial de Catalunya.[14] In mid-February 2009 he moved back to Catalonia, joining Girona FC until the end of the campaign;[15] shortly after arriving he was injured again, but managed to score four goals in only six Segunda División games.[16][17][18]

International career

After a spectacular 1999–00 season with Valencia, on both fronts, Gerard earned his first cap for Spain on 3 June 2000, in a 1–1 friendly with Sweden in Gothenburg.[19] He went on to play a further five matches, being selected for UEFA Euro 2000.[20][21]

Coaching career

In October 2013, Gerard replaced Johan Cruyff as manager of Catalonia.[22] On 22 July 2015, he was appointed at Barcelona B after their relegation to Segunda División B.[23]

At the end of the 2016–17 season, Gerard coached his team back to the second tier. Subsequently, he renewed his contract for another year.[24]

On 25 April 2018, with the side placed inside the relegation zone, Gerard was relieved of his duties.[25]

Personal life

Gerard's older brothers, Sergi and Julià López Segú (commonly known as Juli, born 1969), were also footballers, and defenders. The former, who also represented Barcelona, died by suicide at 39.[26]

The latter played almost exclusively for Barça B whilst they were in division two, also having a brief top-flight spell (13 matches) with Real Valladolid, in 1993–94.[27][28]

Career statistics

International goals
Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gerard goal.
List of international goals scored by Gerard
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
12 September 2000Koševo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina1–02–12002 World Cup qualification[29]
27 October 2000Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain Israel1–02–02002 World Cup qualification[30]

Managerial statistics
As of 22 April 2018
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Barcelona B Spain 22 July 2015 25 April 2018 118 49 31 38 169 122 +47 041.53 [31]
Total 118 49 31 38 169 122 +47 041.53 —

Honours

Valencia

Barcelona

References
  1. "GERARD López Segú". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  2. Infante, Cristina (1 September 1997). "Venganza en Mallorca" [Revenge in Mallorca]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  3. Blanco, Jordi (20 February 2022). "El Barcelona le ha pagado al Valencia 186 millones de dólares por ocho jugadores en los últimos 20 años" [Barcelona have paid Valencia 186 million dollars in the last 20 years] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  4. Quílez, Emilio (9 May 2021). "Gerard consigue el gol doscientos del Deportivo Alavés en Primera División" [Gerard gets Deportivo Alavés' 200th goal in Primera División]. Noticias de Álava (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  5. "Real Madrid 3–0 Valencia". The Guardian. 24 May 2000. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  6. Ortuño, Xavier (22 July 2016). "5 fichajes del Valencia, 150 millones: André Gomes, Mathieu, Jordi Alba, David Villa y Gerard" [5 signings from Valencia, 150 million: André Gomes, Mathieu, Jordi Alba, David Villa and Gerard]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  7. Browning, Oliver (7 August 2020). "Champions League: How many players have scored hat-tricks in the knockout stages?". Give Me Sport. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  8. "Season over for Gerard". UEFA. 15 March 2002. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  9. "Gerard thwarted by injury". UEFA. 13 January 2003. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  10. "Gerard goes under the knife". UEFA. 27 November 2004. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  11. "Monaco make double swoop". UEFA. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  12. "Gerard ruled out for six months". UEFA. 7 November 2005. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  13. "Gerard cambia Mónaco por el Recreativo" [Gerard changes Monaco for Recreativo]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 30 August 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  14. "Gerard se entrena con el Granollers" [Gerard trains with Granollers]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 6 September 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  15. "Mercado: El Girona ficha a Gerard López, ex Barça y Valencia" [Market: Girona sign Gerard López, ex Barça and Valencia] (in Spanish). Goal. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  16. "Gerard López salió, marcó y resolvió para el Girona" [Gerard López came, saw and conquered for Girona]. Marca (in Spanish). 24 May 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  17. "El Girona roza la permanencia" [Girona nearly saved]. Marca (in Spanish). 30 May 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  18. "El Eibar prolonga su racha: quince partidos sin ganar" [Eibar extend streak: fifteen games without a win]. Marca (in Spanish). 7 June 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  19. Román, Rogelio (4 June 2000). "Ensayo con nota" [Positive rehearsal]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  20. Gascón, Javier (26 May 2000). "Iker y Gerard, las sorpresas" [Iker and Gerard, the surprises]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  21. "Spanish squad unveiled". BBC Sport. 28 May 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  22. "Gerard López, nuevo seleccionador catalán" [Gerard López, new Catalan national team manager] (in Spanish). Diario Gol. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  23. "Gerard López new Barça B coach". FC Barcelona. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  24. "Gerard renueva por el Barça B" [Gerard renews for Barça B]. Marca (in Spanish). 30 June 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  25. "Gerard López's contract rescinded". FC Barcelona. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  26. "Fallece Sergi López, ex futbolista y hermano de Gerard, arrollado por un tren" [Sergi López, ex-footballer and brother of Gerard, dies, run over by train]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 4 November 2006. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  27. "Juli: Julià López Segú". BDFutbol. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  28. Tomàs, Manel; Clos, Jordi (29 October 2009). "Barça brothers". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  29. Besa, Ramón (3 September 2000). "España sale del lío con dos golazos" [Spain emerge from mess with two wonder goals]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  30. Miguelez, José (8 October 2000). "España gana con sosería" [Spain win dully]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  31. "Segunda División B (Grupo 3) 2015–16" [Segunda División B (Group 3) 2015–16] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
    "Gerard: Gerard López Segú". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
    "Gerard: Gerard López Segú". BDFutbol. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  32. Piñol, Àngels (16 August 1999). "El Valencia contesta al Barça" [Valencia answer Barça]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  33. "Meia Gerard troca o Barcelona pelo Monaco" [Midfielder Gerard swaps Barcelona for Monaco]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). 1 June 2005. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
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