Javi Gracia

Born in Pamplona, Navarre, Gracia started playing professionally with Bilbao Athletic, Athletic Bilbao's reserves, never appearing officially for the first team. In the 1992–93 campaign, he scored a career-best 12 goals in all 38 games as Lleida returned to La Liga after an absence of more than 40 years, as champions. Gracia spent the following six seasons in the top flight, appearing regularly for both Real Valladolid and Real Sociedad until 1998–99 (15 matches, one goal). In 1999, he returned to Segunda División and signed for Villarreal, helping the Valencian club to get promoted to the top division after one year and being regularly used the following campaign – 1,764 minutes of action – as the team retained their status. In February 2003, after being scarcely played in his last one and a half seasons at Villarreal, the 32-year-old Gracia joined Córdoba in the second level, closing out his career in June of the following year. He appeared in 229 Spanish top-tier games over the course of nine seasons, netting 17 goals.

Early years

After starting his managerial career with the youth sides of his former club Villarreal, Gracia worked in the Segunda División B with Pontevedra, finishing first and second with the team in the regular season but always falling short in the promotion playoffs. In 2008–09, still in the third division, Gracia finally achieved promotion, now with Cádiz, but he was fired midway through the following season as the Andalusians were immediately relegated. In the 2010–11 campaign, with Villarreal's reserves, he managed to avert a drop also in the second tier, even though José Francisco Molina was in charge for the final four fixtures.

Greece

In June 2011, Gracia was hired by Olympiacos Volos, who had finished fifth in the Super League Greece. He debuted with the first European fixtures of his managerial career, eliminating Rad and Differdange from the UEFA Europa League qualifiers, but the team were then expelled from the top flight and European competition due to their alleged involvement in the Koriopolis match-fixing scandal. Having terminated his contract, Gracia remained in the same league for the rest of 2011–12 at Kerkyra. He took the Corfu-based club to the last eight of the national cup, where they lost by a single goal at Asteras Tripolis.

Almería

Gracia returned to his country in June 2012, being hired by Almería. He led the team back to the top flight in his one season, but left after failing to agree new terms.

Osasuna…

Gracia's parents were both teachers. He is married with three sons, two of whom are twins.

Player

Lleida

Segunda División: 1992–93

Manager

Pontevedra

Segunda División B: 2006–07 Cádiz

Segunda División B: 2008–09 Watford

FA Cup runner-up: 2018–19 Al Sadd

Qatar Stars League: 2021–22 Individual

Premier League Manager of the Month: August 2018