Pedro Munitis

Pedro Munitis Álvarez (born 19 June 1975) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a forward, currently manager of CD Lugo.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Munitis and the second or maternal family name is Álvarez.

Pedro Munitis
Munitis in 2013
Personal information
Full name Pedro Munitis Álvarez[1]
Date of birth (1975-06-19) 19 June 1975[1]
Place of birth Santander, Spain[1]
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Lugo (manager)
Youth career
Santoña
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 Santoña
1993–1997 Racing B
1995–2000 Racing Santander 83 (14)
1997–1998 → Badajoz (loan) 28 (10)
2000–2003 Real Madrid 53 (4)
2002–2003 → Racing Santander (loan) 30 (8)
2003–2006 Deportivo La Coruña 90 (5)
2006–2012 Racing Santander 191 (12)
Total 475 (53)
International career
1999–2002 Spain 21 (2)
Managerial career
2012–2014 Reocín (women)
2014–2015 Bansander (youth)
2015 Racing Santander (assistant)
2015–2016 Racing Santander
2016–2017 Ponferradina
2018–2019 UCAM Murcia
2020 Badajoz
2021–2022 Sabadell
2023– Lugo
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He was one of the shortest players in La Liga, and was best known for his fighting spirit. His professional career was mainly associated with Racing de Santander – he also represented Real Madrid for two years – and he played 447 top-flight matches over 17 seasons, scoring 43 goals.[2][3]

A Spain international in the late 1990s/early 2000s, Munitis represented the country at Euro 2000.

Playing career

Club

Born in Santander, Cantabria, Munitis played in three separate periods for hometown Racing de Santander. He first appeared with its first team on 22 January 1995, in a 0–0 home draw against Real Sociedad.[2]

After a loan to CD Badajoz (Segunda División)[2] and scoring 14 goals in 72 league games with Racing from 1998 to 2000,[1] Munitis attracted attention from La Liga giants Real Madrid, who signed him for £6.8 million.[4] He was relatively used in his two-year spell at the capital club, helping it to one league and the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League.

Munitis spent the 2002–03 season on loan at Racing Santander, notably netting (and celebrating) against Real Madrid in a 2–0 home win on 19 October 2002.[5][6] In the following off-season, he was purchased up by Deportivo de La Coruña on a free transfer;[7] after a poor first year he would be one of the Galicia side's most important attacking players, also being used as a left winger in order to provide rest for veteran captain Fran and being his replacement when he retired at the end of 2004–05.[8]

Munitis returned to Racing in July 2006, forming an interesting attacking partnership with gigantic Serbian Nikola Žigić in his debut campaign[9][10] and helping it achieve a first ever qualification to the UEFA Cup in his second.[11] On 19 April 2009 he played his 200th league match for the club, at RCD Espanyol.[12][13]

In 2009–10, the 34-year-old Munitis was again an undisputed starter, but did not manage to find the net in 29 appearances, and his season was over during a 3–1 home victory over Espanyol due to a knee injury, on 14 April 2010;[14] at that time he ranked second in assists, only trailing FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi.[15][16]

On 17 October 2010, after more than one year without scoring, Munitis netted from 30 metres for the only goal of the home fixture against UD Almería.[17] During the season, he again featured prominently in the starting XI under both Miguel Ángel Portugal and his successor Marcelino García Toral, the latter returned to the Campos de Sport de El Sardinero after nearly three years. In the following campaign he failed to score in 32 matches, and Racing returned to the second tier after one decade, with the player announcing shortly after his decision to leave his main club.[18]

International

Munitis earned 21 caps for Spain, scoring two goals. He represented the nation at UEFA Euro 2000, appearing as a substitute and netting in a 4–3 group stage win over Yugoslavia[19] and starting in the quarter-final loss to France (1–2).[4]

Munitis' debut came on 27 March 1999 in a Euro 2000 qualifier against Austria, playing 30 minutes in a 9–0 thrashing in Valencia.[20]

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition[21]
1.18 August 1999Polish Army, Warsaw, Poland Poland1–21–2Friendly
2.21 June 2000Jan Breydel, Bruges, Belgium FR Yugoslavia2–23–4Euro 2000

Coaching career

Still not having announced his retirement, Munitis began his managerial career, with women's football club SD Reocín.[22] In 2014 he was appointed at Club Bansander, taking charge of the youth squads.[23]

Munitis returned to Racing on 3 March 2015, being appointed assistant manager along with former teammate Gonzalo Colsa.[24] After their relegation, he took the reins of the team in Segunda División B and won the group, but left in June 2016 following elimination by Cádiz CF in the playoffs.[25]

On 17 October 2016, Munitis succeeded Manolo Herrero as manager of newly relegated SD Ponferradina, with Colsa as his assistant.[26] He resigned five months later with the team lying in sixth in division three, having won exactly a third of his games.[27]

Munitis returned to third-tier management on 26 March 2018, when he was hired by UCAM Murcia CF until the end of the season.[28] Despite missing his objective of a play-off place, he was given another year in the job.[29] He was dismissed on 29 April 2019 with the team still in contention for the play-offs with three rounds to go, and replaced by Juan Merino.[30]

On 4 February 2020, Munitis succeeded Mehdi Nafti at Badajoz, where he had played over two decades ago.[31] After the season was truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the team lost in the playoff semi-finals on penalties to FC Barcelona B.[32] He left on his own terms in October, shortly before the start of the new campaign.[33]

Munitis was appointed at CE Sabadell FC of the Primera División RFEF on 23 November 2021, until the end of the season and with the option of another year.[34] He took the team out of the relegation zone and challenged for the play-offs until the penultimate round of fixtures; in June he left after turning down a contract renewal.[35]

On 21 June 2023, Munitis was named in charge of CD Lugo, recently relegated to the third division.[36]

Managerial statistics
As of 22 October 2023
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Racing Santander 30 June 2015 12 June 2016 43 21 11 11 56 36 +20 048.84 [37]
Ponferradina 17 October 2016 19 March 2017 27 10 11 6 27 21 +6 037.04 [38]
UCAM Murcia 26 March 2018 28 April 2019 44 20 9 15 59 48 +11 045.45 [39]
Badajoz 4 February 2020 10 October 2020 7 3 2 2 10 7 +3 042.86 [40]
Sabadell 24 November 2021 25 June 2022 26 14 5 7 36 19 +17 053.85 [41]
Lugo 21 June 2023 Present 9 4 3 2 9 9 +0 044.44 [42]
Total 156 72 41 43 197 140 +57 046.15 —

Honours

Real Madrid

See also

References
  1. "Pedro MUNITIS Álvarez". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  2. "Munitis". El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  3. "Munitis es ya el racinguista con más partidos en Primera" [Munitis is already Racing player with more games in Primera]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 December 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  4. "Munitis in "dream move"". BBC Sport. 11 July 2000. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  5. "Spain round-up: Madrid stumble at Santander". UEFA. 19 October 2002. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  6. "Racing 2 Real Madrid 0 (golazo de Munitis en la 02/03)" [Racing 2 Real Madrid 0 (Munitis wonder goal in 02/03)] (in Spanish). YouTube. 4 June 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2008.
  7. "Munitis makes Depor move". UEFA. 28 August 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  8. "Munitis: "Si soy suplente mi rendimiento baja y me perjudica"" [Munitis: "If i do not start i don't contribute as much and that is harmful to me"] (in Spanish). Libertad Digital. 3 October 2003. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  9. Fernández-Cueto, Francisco (30 October 2006). "Munitis y Zigic, pareja letal" [Munitis and Zigic, lethal duo]. El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  10. "El Racing, sin Zigic ni Munitis, se hunde" [Racing, without Zigic nor Munitis, sink]. El País (in Spanish). 10 December 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  11. "El Racing se mete por primera vez en la UEFA al ganar a Osasuna (1–0)" [Racing reach UEFA for the first time after beating Osasuna (1–0)]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 18 May 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  12. "Munitis suma 200 partidos con el Racing en Primera" [Munitis reaches 200 games with Racing in Primera] (in Spanish). Racing Santander. 20 April 2009. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  13. "Triste celebración para Munitis y Luis Fernández" [Sad celebration for Munitis and Luis Fernández]. El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). 20 April 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  14. "Munitis se perderá el resto de la temporada por sufrir una rotura del ligamento lateral interno de su rodilla dercha [sic]" [Munitis to lose rest of the season after internal lateral ligament rupture to his right knee]. Marca (in Spanish). 15 April 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  15. López, Pedro (19 January 2010). "Munitis es clave en la recuperación del equipo" [Munitis is key in team recovery]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  16. Salinas, D. (4 February 2010). "Messi, goleador y asistente" [Messi, scorer and passer]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  17. "Racing Santander 1–0 Almeria". ESPN Soccernet. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  18. "Munitis se despide orgulloso de su carrera racinguista" [Munitis bids farewell to Racing career with pride] (in Spanish). Racing Santander. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  19. "Spain survive in seven-goal classic". BBC Sport. 21 June 2000. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  20. Ros, Cayetano (28 March 1999). "España vive una noche idílica" [Spain live idyllic night]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  21. "Munitis". European Football. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  22. Mata, Yésica (10 September 2012). "Un gol en el minuto final priva a Munitis de un estreno con triunfo en el banquillo" [A goal in the last minute deprives Munitis of win in his bench debut]. El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  23. "Pedro Munitis dirigirá al Juvenil del Bansander" [Pedro Munitis will manage Balsander's Juvenil] (in Spanish). Contrameta. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  24. González, Roberto (3 March 2015). "Hoy comienza la quinta era de Pedro Munitis en el Racing" [Pedro Munitis' fifth spell at Racing begins today]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  25. "Munitis deja de ser entrenador del Racing" [Pedro Munitis no longer manager of Racing]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 June 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  26. Carrera, Álvaro (17 October 2016). "Pedro Munitis, nuevo entrenador de la Ponferradina" [Pedro Munitis, new manager of Ponferradina]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  27. Iranzo, Pedro (19 March 2017). "Munitis dimite como entrenador de la Ponferradina" [Munitis resigns as manager of Ponferradina]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  28. "El UCAM CF ficha al cántabro Pedro Munitis como entrenador" [UCAM CF sign Cantabrian Pedro Munitis as manager]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 26 March 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  29. F. Martínez, Alberto (13 June 2018). "Pedro Munitis llega a un acuerdo para seguir en el UCAM Murcia" [Pedro Munitis reaches an agreement to continue at UCAM Murcia]. La Opinión de Murcia (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  30. "Munitis, despedido del UCAM" [Munitis, fired by UCAM]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 29 April 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  31. "Pedro Munitis nuevo entrenador del Badajoz" [Pedro Munitis new manager of Badajoz]. Marca (in Spanish). 4 February 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  32. Bris, David (23 July 2020). "Barcelona B 1–1 Badajoz: El Badajoz se queda fuera del sueño del ascenso en los penaltis" [Barcelona B 1–1 Badajoz: Badajoz miss out on promotion dream on penalties] (in Spanish). Canal Extremadura Televisión. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  33. Pérez, Javi (14 October 2020). "Munitis se va del Badajoz «por voluntad propia»" [Munitis leaves Badajoz "by own free will"]. Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  34. Figueras, Pere (23 November 2021). "Pedro Munitis és l'escollit per substituir Antonio Hidalgo" [Pedro Munitis is chosen to replace Antonio Hidalgo]. Diari de Sabadell (in Catalan). Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  35. Figueras, Pere (25 June 2022). "Pedro Munitis no continuarà com a entrenador del CE Sabadell" [Pedro Munitis will not continue as manager of CE Sabadell]. Diari de Sabadell (in Catalan). Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  36. "Pedro Munitis, nuevo entrenador del CD Lugo" [Pedro Munitis, new manager of CD Lugo] (in Spanish). CD Lugo. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  37. "Matches Pedro Munitis, 2015–16 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  38. "Matches Pedro Munitis, 2016–17 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  39. "Matches Pedro Munitis, 2017–18 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
    "Matches Pedro Munitis, 2018–19 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  40. "Matches Pedro Munitis, 2019–20 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  41. "Matches Pedro Munitis, 2021–22 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  42. "Matches Pedro Munitis, 2023–24 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
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