Juanito (footballer, born 1948)

Juan Díaz Sánchez (6 October 1948 – 3 April 2013), commonly known as Juanito, was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward.

Juanito

Personal information
Full name	Juan Díaz Sánchez
Date of birth	(1948-10-06)6 October 1948
Place of birth	Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Date of death	3 April 2013(2013-04-03) (aged 64)
Place of death	Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1971–1972	Tenerife	24	(4)
1972–1975	Barcelona	43	(5)
1975–1976	Hércules	30	(3)
1976–1981	Salamanca	114	(25)
1981–1982	Tenerife	4	(0)
1982–1983	Mensajero
Total		215	(37)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Juanito started and finished his 11-year professional career with hometown club CD Tenerife. He played one season in the Segunda División with them, then signed for FC Barcelona in late February 1972.^[1] He made his La Liga debut on 19 March, starting in a 1–0 away win against Athletic Bilbao.^[2]

Juanito contributed 17 games in the 1973–74 campaign as the Catalans won the national championship, scoring in a 3–0 home victory over UD Las Palmas on 6 January 1974.^[3] He appeared in three UEFA Cup matches during his spell, netting against OGC Nice in the 1973–74 edition.^[4]

In 1975, in another winter transfer window move, Juanito joined fellow top-division team Hércules CF for three years.^[5] In the 1976 summer, however, he moved to UD Salamanca,^[6] going on to compete a further five seasons in the top flight; two of his league goals came against former employers Barcelona (13 February 1977, 2–0 home win)^[7] and Real Madrid (1–1 home draw, on 16 March 1980).^[8]

Juanito retired in 1983 at the age of 34, after one-year spells with Tenerife and amateurs CD Mensajero.^[9]

Death

Juanito lost a son whilst a player of Hércules, aged only 15. He himself died on 3 April 2013 in his hometown, at 64.^[10][11]

Honours

Barcelona

• La Liga: 1973–74^[10]