Miguel Ángel (footballer, born 1978)

Miguel Ángel Lozano Ayala (born 16 September 1978), known as Miguel Ángel, is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Lozano and the second or maternal family name is Ayala.
Miguel Ángel
Personal information
Full name Miguel Ángel Lozano Ayala
Date of birth (1978-09-16) 16 September 1978
Place of birth Sabadell, Spain
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1993–1995 Sabadell
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1995 Sabadell B 29 (8)
1995–1996 Sabadell 18 (0)
1996–1997 Barcelona C 32 (2)
1997–1999 Barcelona B 85 (15)
2000–2001 Levante 63 (2)
2001–2005 Málaga 131 (7)
2005–2008 Betis 33 (0)
2007–2008 → Levante (loan) 23 (1)
2008–2010 Málaga 19 (0)
2009–2010 → Gimnàstic (loan) 29 (2)
2010–2011 Ponferradina 17 (0)
2011 Badalona 14 (1)
2011–2012 Castellón 21 (7)
2012 Terrassa 14 (0)
2012–2014 Caldes Montbui 52 (24)
Total 580 (69)
Managerial career
2015 Caldes Montbui B
2015–2016 Ordino
2017 Lusitanos
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Over eight seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 206 matches and eight goals, mainly representing Málaga (five years, two spells). He appeared in the Champions League with Betis.

Club career

Born in Sabadell, Barcelona, Catalonia, Miguel Ángel began his career at hometown's CE Sabadell FC, where he played during the 1995–96 season in the Segunda División B. He moved to neighbours FC Barcelona in 1996, spending some time with its C and B teams.[1][2]

In summer 1999, Miguel Ángel signed for Levante UD, where he spent two years in the Segunda División. In the 2001–02 campaign he joined Málaga CF, being a key element in midfield during his five-year stay, scoring seven La Liga goals and helping the side to the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup.[3]

For 2005–06, Miguel Ángel was transferred to Andalusia neighbours Real Betis in a deal worth €2 million, signing a five-year contract with the club.[4] Early into his first season, he suffered ligament damage to his right knee in a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a 4–0 loss.[5]

Miguel Ángel returned to Levante in July 2007 on a one-year loan,[6] being released at the end of the campaign and subsequently rejoining Málaga.[7] After being relatively used in the first season in his second spell, he was loaned to Gimnàstic de Tarragona in division two.[8]

On 13 July 2010, Miguél Ángel was released by Málaga. Two weeks later, at nearly 32, he signed a one-year contract with SD Ponferradina, recently returned to the second tier;[9] in the following transfer window, however, he was released.[10]

Miguel Ángel then spent three years in the lower leagues, with CF Badalona, CD Castellón and Terrassa FC. He moved abroad for the first time on 28 May 2015, becoming player-manager of FC Ordino in Andorra's Primera Divisió.[11]

Honours

Málaga

References
  1. "Arnau: "El Barça es el equipo que mejor juega de Europa"" [Arnau: "Barça are the team playing the best in Europe"] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  2. Arroyo, Adrián (28 January 2020). "Miguel Ángel Lozano: "No vaig tenir cap padrí, el que he aconseguit m'ho he treballat"" [Miguel Ángel Lozano: "I did not have friends in high places, everything I've achieved is a product of my work"] (in Catalan). Ràdio Sabadell. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  3. "The Intertoto comes of age". Málaga CF. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  4. "Betis make Miguel Ángel move". UEFA. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  5. "Miguel Ángel nightmare for Betis". UEFA. 20 October 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  6. Mínguez, Javier (9 September 2007). ""Me llamó Julio y no me lo pensé ni un segundo"" ["Julio called me and I did not think about it twice"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  7. "Miguel Ángel se desvincula del Betis y regresa al Málaga CF" [Miguel Ángel cuts ties with Betis and returns to Málaga CF]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 1 August 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  8. Ballesteros, Jesús; Martínez, D. (1 July 2009). "Miguel Ángel y Velasco refuerzan a Nástic y Cádiz" [Miguel Ángel and Velasco bolster Nástic and Cádiz]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  9. Dargel, Jorge (29 July 2010). "Miguel Ángel, otro refuerzo de lujo para la 'Ponfe'" [Miguel Ángel, another deluxe signing for 'Ponfe']. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  10. "La Ponferradina ficha al centrocampista Nsaliwa" [Ponferradina sign midfielder Nsaliwa]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 27 January 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  11. Duaso, Víctor (28 May 2015). "Un exprimera, nou tècnic de l'Ordino" [Former Primera man, new manager of Ordino]. Bondia (in Catalan). Retrieved 7 June 2016.
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