David Català Jiménez(born 3 May 1980) is a Spanish former professionalfootballerwho played as acentral defender,currentlymanagerofSabadell.

David Català
Català as aCeltaplayer in 2009
Personal information
Full name David Català Jiménez
Date of birth (1980-05-03)3 May 1980(age 44)
Place of birth Barcelona,Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Sabadell(manager)
Youth career
Espanyol
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 Espanyol B 102 (3)
2000–2003 Espanyol 7 (0)
2003–2004 Xerez 36 (3)
2004–2005 Lleida 37 (3)
2005–2006 Albacete 16 (0)
2006–2007 Lorca Deportiva 26 (1)
2007–2009 Salamanca 82 (3)
2009–2012 Celta 77 (5)
2012–2019 AEK Larnaca 204 (18)
Total 587 (36)
Managerial career
2021–2022 AEK Larnaca
2022 Apollon Limassol
2023–2024 Istra 1961
2024– Sabadell
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

After beginning his career atEspanyol,he spent most of it in theSegunda División,representing six teams over nine seasons in the division, mostlySalamancaandCelta.He totalled 274 games and 15 goals in that tier.

Català retired following a seven-year spell atAEK Larnacain Cyprus, where he began managing.

Playing career

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Born inBarcelona,Catalonia,Català began his career at hometown clubRCD Espanyol.He made his senior debut on 16 May 1999, playing the entirety of thereserves' 3–0 home win overPalamós CFin theSegunda División B.He first appeared inLa Ligawith the first team the following 6 May, as a 43rd-minutesubstituteforCristóbalin a 2–0 away loss againstCD Numancia.[1]

After leaving forXerez CDofSegunda Divisiónin 2003, Català spent each of the next four seasons at a different team in that level, culminating inLorca Deportiva CF's relegation in2007.He stayed for five years in the same league, withUD SalamancaandRC Celta de Vigo;he was recommended to the latter by Miguel Torrecilla, thesporting directorwho made the same move earlier, and was the second player to be acquired that window afterCristian Bustos,agreeing to a three-year deal on 23 June 2009.[2]

Català scored in theGalician derbyon 15 April 2012 seven minutes after entering in place ofHugo Mallo,albeit in a 3–2 loss toDeportivo de La CoruñaatBalaídos.[3]The campaignnonetheless ended in top-flight promotion, with him contributing 18 games and two goals to the feat.[4]

On 28 July 2012, after recently signing a new contract, Català rescinded it and moved abroad for the first time, signing a three-year deal atAEK Larnaca FCof theCypriot First Division.[5]He helped the side win the2017–18 Cypriot Cupat the age of 38,[6]and retired the following year.[7]

Coaching career

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Catalá was appointed manager of his last club in May 2021, replacingSofronis Avgoustion a two-year contract.[8][9]On 12 August 2022, he continued in the same league by signing a one-year deal withApollon Limassol FC.[10]

On 14 August 2023, Català was hired atNK Istra 1961of theCroatian Football League,forone seasonwith the option of a further year; he took over fromMislav Karoglan,who had taken one point from three games.[11]He was dismissed the following 7 February, with five wins from 19 matches.[12]

On 10 June 2024, Català was appointed atCE Sabadell FCin Spain'sSegunda Federaciónon a one-year contract.[13]

Career statistics

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As of 4 October 2015[14][15]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Espanyol 1999–2000 La Liga 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2001–02 La Liga 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Total 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Xerez 2003–04 Segunda División 36 3 2 0 38 3
Lleida 2004–05 Segunda División 37 3 2 0 39 3
Albacete 2005–06 Segunda División 16 0 2 0 18 0
Lorca Deportiva 2006–07 Segunda División 26 1 1 0 27 1
Salamanca 2007–08 Segunda División 42 3 1 0 43 3
2008–09 Segunda División 40 0 2 0 42 0
Salamanca Total 82 3 3 0 85 3
Celta 2009–10 Segunda División 22 1 0 0 22 1
2010–11 Segunda División 37 2 1 0 1[a] 0 39 2
2011–12 Segunda División 18 2 4 0 22 2
Total 77 5 5 0 1 0 63 5
AEK Larnaca 2012–13 Cypriot First Division 28 1 5 0 33 1
2013–14 Cypriot First Division 31 2 3 0 33 2
2014–15 Cypriot First Division 30 4 6 1 36 5
2015–16 Cypriot First Division 6 0 0 0 2[b] 0 8 0
Total 95 7 14 1 2 0 111 8
Career total 370 21 27 1 3 0 400 22
  1. ^Appearance inLa Liga play-offs
  2. ^Appearances inUEFA Europa League

Managerial statistics

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As of 8 December 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
AEK Larnaca 21 May 2021 21 March 2022 29 13 11 5 50 25 +25 044.83 [16]
Apollon Limassol 13 August 2022 9 November 2022 18 6 7 5 16 18 −2 033.33 [17]
Istra 1961 13 August 2023 7 February 2024 19 5 4 10 17 27 −10 026.32 [18]
Sabadell 10 June 2024 Present 19 8 9 2 27 16 +11 042.11 [19][20]
Total 85 32 31 22 110 86 +24 037.65

Honours

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AEK Larnaca

References

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  1. ^Romero, Carmelo (7 May 2000)."El Numancia acaricia la salvación tras ganar al Espanyol"[Numancia caress survival after defeating Espanyol].El País(in Spanish).Retrieved17 April2016.
  2. ^"Catalá:" Creo en este nuevo proyecto ""[Català: "I believe in this new project" ].Marca(in Spanish). 23 June 2009.Retrieved16 April2016.
  3. ^Piñeiro, Miguel (16 April 2012)."El Deportivo vence al Celta en un derbi gallego para el recuerdo"[Deportivo defeat Celta in a Galician derby to remember].La Voz de Galicia(in Spanish).Retrieved16 April2016.
  4. ^Ereaga, Txema (9 November 2012)."Catalá: Un defensa central goleador"[Catalá: A scoring centre-back.] (in Spanish). Fame Celeste.Retrieved9 December2021.
  5. ^Bernardo, Julio (28 July 2012)."Catalá se va sorprendido y decepcionado"[Català leaves surprised and disappointed].Faro de Vigo(in Spanish).Retrieved16 April2016.
  6. ^Manchón, Martín (16 May 2018)."El AEK Larnaca de Imanol Idiakez, campeón de la Copa chipriota"[Imanol Idiakez's AEK Larnaca, Cypriot Cup champions].Diario AS(in Spanish).Retrieved9 December2021.
  7. ^"El excéltico David Catalá cuelga las botas"[Former Celta man David Catalá hangs up his boots].La Voz de Galicia(in Spanish). 25 May 2019.Retrieved9 December2021.
  8. ^"AEK Larnaca, David Català es el nuevo entrenador"[AEK Larnaca, David Català is the new manager] (in Spanish). Todo Mercado Web. 21 May 2021.Retrieved9 December2021.
  9. ^Manchón, Martín (11 November 2021)."Catalá:" Cuando pasas de jugar a entrenar te das cuenta de lo desagradecido que es el banquillo ""[Catalá: "When you go from playing to coaching you realise how ungrateful the bench is" ].Diario AS(in Spanish).Retrieved9 December2021.
  10. ^"David Catala is the new head coach of Apollon".Apollon Limassol. 12 August 2022.Retrieved19 August2022.
  11. ^"David Catalá, nuevo entrenador del Istra 1961 croata"[David Català, new manager of Croatia's Istra 1961].Infobae(in Spanish). 14 August 2023.Retrieved24 August2023.
  12. ^"David Catala is no longer on the bench of Istra 1961".NK Istra 1961. 7 February 2024.Retrieved17 July2024.
  13. ^"David Català, nuevo entrenador del CE Sabadell"[David Català, new manager of CE Sabadell] (in Spanish). CE Sabadell FC. 10 June 2024.Retrieved17 July2024.
  14. ^abc"Català".Soccerway.Retrieved7 December2014.
  15. ^"David Catalá".Footballdatabase.Retrieved18 December2014.
  16. ^"AEK Larnaca FC: Matches".Soccerway.Retrieved20 January2023.
  17. ^"Apollon Limassol FC: Matches".Soccerway.Retrieved20 January2023.
  18. ^"NK Istra 1961: Matches".Soccerway.Retrieved10 June2024.
  19. ^"Matches David Català, 2024–25 season".BDFutbol.
  20. ^"CE Sabadell: matches".Be Soccer.Retrieved15 September2024.
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