Ángel Pedraza, Spanish footballer and manager, died from cancer he was , 48

Ángel Pedraza Lamilla  was a Spanish professional footballer, who played as a defender and a midfielder died from cancer he was , 48.

(4 October 1962 - 8 January 2011)

Playing career

Born in La Rinconada, Province of Seville, Pedraza joined FC Barcelona's youth ranks, and spent two seasons with the reserves in Segunda División. On 16 September 1980, László Kubala granted him the opportunity to play in one UEFA Cup match against Sliema Wanderers in Malta, and he became the first La Masia player ever to appear for the main squad.^[1]
In January 1986, with Terry Venables as a coach, he made his La Liga debut with the first team, with which he would play a further three years, being mostly used as a backup.
In the 1986 European Cup Final, Pedraza was one of four Barça players - the others were José Ramón Alexanko, Pichi Alonso and Marcos - to have their penalty shootout attempts saved by FC Steaua Bucureşti goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam, as the Catalans lost the decisive match in Seville (0–0 after 120 minutes).
He signed with RCD Mallorca in the 1988 off-season, with the Balearic Islands outfit being coached by a young Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, who relocated the player from central midfielder to fullback.^[2] In his first season, Pedraza was an essential defensive unit (3,241 minutes, one goal) as the club returned to La Liga, and also reached the Copa del Rey final in 1991; during six of his seven years with the team, he did not appear in less than 30 league games, and retired from football in 1997 at the age of 35, after a two-year stint with amateurs Sóller, also in Majorca.

Coaching career

Immediately after retiring, Pedraza started managing, spending five years with several youth sides at former club Barcelona. In 2002, he moved across the city and coached RCD Espanyol's juniors, joining the B team afterwards.
Pedraza then spent three seasons in Segunda División B, first with Benidorm CF then Villarreal CF B. After one year in Greece, split between two teams,^[3] he returned to his country and took charge of amateurs CD Atlético Baleares, helping it promote from Tercera División, as champions.^[2]
In July 2010, despite being already suffering from cancer, Pedraza agreed to take over at CE L'Hospitalet in the third level. He was however removed from his managerial duties after only three months.^[4] On 8 January 2011, aged only 48, he succumbed to the illness.^[5]

Honours

Player

Barcelona

• Spanish Cup: 1987–88
• Spanish League Cup: 1985–86
• European Cup: Runner-up 1985–86

Mallorca

• Spanish Cup: Runner-up 1990–91

Manager

Atlético Baleares

• Fourth Division: 2009–10

Personal life

Pedraza's son, Marc, is also a professional footballer. A midfielder, he was brought up in Espanyol's youth system, being coached by his father at Hospitalet, with the manager being sacked precisely after the player's debut.^[6][7]

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