Quick Facts
Biography
Sergi Barjuán Esclusa ([ˈsɛɾʒi βəɾʒuˈan i əsˈkluzə], [ˈseɾʝi βaɾˈxwan j esˈklusa]; born 28 December 1971), known simply as Sergi, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a left back, currently a manager.
Best known for his Barcelona stint, he played for the first team for nine seasons and made a major contribution to the winning of nine major titles. Having reached the Spain national team shortly after making his professional club debut, he appeared in two World Cups and as many European Championships.
In 2009, Sergi embarked on a managerial career.
Playing career
Club
Born in Les Franqueses del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Sergi was a youth product of giants FC Barcelona. He had not yet appeared in La Liga when he was summoned by first-team manager Johan Cruyff to a UEFA Champions League group stage game away against Galatasaray SK (0–0, on 24 November 1993), and from then on became the side's undisputed first-choice, never playing less than 31 matches until 1999; with Barça he won three leagues, two cups and two supercups, adding the 1997 edition of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the subsequent UEFA Super Cup, partnered in the other defensive wing by another youth graduate, Albert Ferrer.
After being deemed surplus to requirements by coach Louis van Gaal, Sergi moved to Atlético Madrid, where he still posted three respectable seasons although he collected 33 yellow cards combined.
International
Shortly after having been promoted into Barcelona's main squad, Sergi made his debut for Spain on 9 February 1994, in a friendly game with Poland in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in which he scored his only goal for the national team. He went on to represent the nation at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 1996, the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, for a total of 56 caps.
Coaching career
In July 2009, after several years working in marketing and running soccer camps for youngsters, Sergi returned to Barcelona, being named its Juvenil B coach. On 22 May 2012 he was handed his first job in the professionals, signing for three years with Recreativo de Huelva in the second division.
On 6 April 2015, Sergi was appointed manager of UD Almería, replacing Juan Ignacio Martínez who had been fired. His first game in charge occurred two days later, a 0–4 loss at former club Barcelona.
On 3 October 2015, with the Andalusians back in the second level, Sergi was sacked after a 2–2 home draw against CD Tenerife. He resumed his career in April 2017 at RCD Mallorca, leaving when his contract expired at the end of the season with the Balearic team relegated to Segunda División B for the first time in 36 years.
On 26 November 2017, 45-year-old Sergi moved abroad for the first time in his career, taking the helm at China League One side Zhejiang Greentown F.C. for the next two seasons.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona | 1993–94 | La Liga | 23 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| 1994–95 | 34 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 45 | 1 | ||
| 1995–96 | 40 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 53 | 2 | ||
| 1996–97 | 34 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 49 | 1 | ||
| 1997–98 | 31 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 47 | 3 | ||
| 1998–99 | 35 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 1 | ||
| 1999–2000 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2000–01 | 33 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 52 | 1 | ||
| 2001–02 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
| Total | 267 | 6 | 46 | 3 | 69 | 2 | 382 | 11 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 2002–03 | La Liga | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 30 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | 32 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 37 | 0 | |||
| 2004–05 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| Total | 85 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 98 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 352 | 6 | 56 | 3 | 72 | 2 | 480 | 11 | ||
International goal
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 9 February 1994 | Heliodoro Rodríguez López, Tenerife, Spain |  Poland | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
Managerial statistics
- As of 30 June 2018
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Recreativo | 22 May 2012 | 30 June 2014 | 89 | 34 | 22 | 33 | 104 | 118 | −14 | 038.20 | ||
| Almería | 6 April 2015 | 3 October 2015 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 35 | −12 | 023.53 | ||
| Mallorca | 4 April 2017 | 12 June 2017 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 030.00 | ||
| Hangzhou Greentown | 26 November 2017 | 3 July 2019 | 48 | 21 | 15 | 12 | 82 | 62 | +20 | 043.75 | ||
| Total | 164 | 62 | 45 | 57 | 221 | 226 | −5 | 037.80 | — | |||
Honours
Club
Barcelona
- La Liga: 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99
- Copa del Rey: 1996–97, 1997–98
- Supercopa de España: 1994, 1996
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1996–97
- UEFA Super Cup: 1997
International
Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: Third-place 1994