Óscar Álvarez Sanjuán (born 9 June 1977) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender. He is the assistant manager of club Girona.
Playing career Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Álvarez finished his youth career with local FC Barcelona, going on to feature for its C and B teams until the age of 22. He later signed with Real Oviedo, making his La Liga debut on 16 October 1999 by coming in as a late substitute in a 2–2 away draw against Real Madrid.El Oviedo aplaca la euforia blanca (Oviedo halt white euphoria); El Mundo, 16 October 1999 (in Spanish)
After playing for UE Lleida and CD Tenerife in the Segunda División, Álvarez joined Gimnàstic de Tarragona of the same league in July 2005.Óscar Álvarez, presentado ayer por el Nástic (Óscar Álvarez, presented yesterday by Nàstic); El Día, 13 July 2005 In his only season, he contributed only 524 minutes in all competitions, but achieved promotion.El Nástic regresa a Primera División 56 años después (Nástic return to Primera División 56 years later); Diario AS, 3 June 2006 (in Spanish)
Deemed surplus to requirements by Nàstic in the summer of 2006,El Nàstic declara transferibles Nano, Diego Reyes, Óscar Álvarez, Morales i Jaio (Nàstic transferlist Nano, Diego Reyes, Óscar Álvarez, Morales and Jaio); Televisió de Catalunya, 11 July 2006 (in Catalan) and subsequently being left out of the main squad, Álvarez signed with Orihuela CF of Segunda División B in mid-January 2007.El Orihuela ficha al central del Nàstic Óscar Álvarez (Orihuela sign Nàstic stopper Óscar Álvarez); Diario Información, 17 January 2007 (in Spanish) He returned to the second division two years later with Girona FCÓscar Álvarez firma por una campaña (Óscar Álvarez signs for one campaign); La Voz Digital, 5 July 2008 (in Spanish) but, after two seasons marked by injury,Óscar Álvarez estará seis meses de baja (Óscar Álvarez to miss six months); Marca, 3 February 2009 (in Spanish) he moved back to the league below with CE L'Hospitalet.Hospitalet: llega Óscar Álvarez. (Hospitalet: Óscar Álvarez arrives.); esFutbol, 17 July 2010 (in Spanish)
Álvarez signed for UE Llagostera also in his native region midway through the 2010–11 season,El central Òscar Álvarez, al Llagostera (Stopper Òscar Álvarez, to Llagostera); L'Esportiu, 12 January 2011 (in Catalan) winning promotion from Tercera División and going on to play several years with the club in the third tier.UE Llagostera, seis ascensos en nueve años (UE Llagostera, six promotions in nine years); La Vanguardia, 22 June 2014 (in Spanish)
Coaching career Álvarez began working as a manager with his last team, as assistant to Oriol Alsina.Òscar Álvarez torna a ser el segon d'Oriol Alsina a la banqueta del Llagostera (Òscar Álvarez is again assistant of Oriol Alsina on Llagostera's bench); Diari de Girona, 17 August 2020 (in Catalan) He was promoted to head coach for the 2017–18 campaign, which ended in relegation from division three.El Llagostera baja a Tercera División (Llagostera relegated to Tercera División); El Periódico, 27 May 2018 (in Spanish)
In September 2019, Álvarez accepted an offer from former Barcelona teammate Albert Celades to be part of his staff.La historia de Óscar Álvarez, de Llagostera a Stamford Bridge en una semana (The story of Óscar Álvarez, from Llagostera to Stamford Bridge in one week); El Desmarque, 16 September 2019 (in Spanish) Eleven months later, he returned to Llagostera still under Alsina.
Personal life Álvarez's older brother, Quique, was also a footballer and a stopper, who represented mainly Villarreal CF. Their father Quique Costas was a midfielder, and played professionally for RC Celta de Vigo, Barcelona and the Spain national team.
Notes
References
External links