Javi Gracia

Javier 'Javi' Gracia Carlos (born 1 May 1970) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and the current manager of Russian club FC Rubin Kazan.

Born in Pamplona, Navarre, Gracia started playing professionally with Bilbao Athletic, Athletic Bilbao's reserves, never appearing officially for the first team during three years. In the 1992–93 campaign, he scored a career-best 12 goals in all 38 games as UE 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 safe for his last year (15 matches, one goal). In 1999, he returned to Segunda División and signed for Villarreal CF, helping the Valencian club promote to the top division after one year and being regularly used in the following campaign – 1,765 minutes of action – as the team easily maintained their division status.

In January 2003, after being scarcely played in his last one-and-a-half seasons at Villarreal, 32-year-old Gracia joined Córdoba CF in the second level, closing out his career in June of the following year. He appeared in 229 Spanish top division games over the course of nine seasons, netting 17 goals.

After starting his manager career with former club Villarreal (youth sides), Gracia spent in Segunda División B, with Pontevedra CF, finishing first and second with the team in the regular season, but always falling short in the promotion playoffs.

In 2008–09, still in division three, Gracia finally achieved promotion, now with Cádiz CF, but he was fired midway through the following season as the Andalusians were immediately relegated back. In the 2010–11 campaign, with Villarreal's reserves, he managed to avert a drop also in the second tier.

After one year in Greece, Gracia returned to his country, leading UD Almería back to the top flight in 2013 but being dismissed shortly after. On 4 September of that year he was appointed at CA Osasuna, replacing fired José Luis Mendilibar.

On 30 May 2014, Gracia was named the new manager of Málaga CF. During his two-year tenure, he led the team to the ninth and eighth position, respectively.

Player

• Segunda División: 1992–93

Manager

• Segunda División B: 2006–07, 2008–09