Migueli

For another Spanish footballer, see Migueli (footballer, born 1942).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Bernardo and the second or maternal family name is Bianquetti.

Miguel Bernardo Bianquetti (born 19 December 1951), known as Migueli, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Migueli

Migueli with Barcelona in 1977
Personal information
Full name	Miguel Bernardo Bianquetti[1]
Date of birth	(1951-12-19) 19 December 1951 (age 73)
Place of birth	Ceuta, Spain
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Youth career
	O'Donnell
	Cádiz
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1970–1973	Cádiz	77	(4)
1973–1988	Barcelona	391	(20)
Total		468	(24)
International career
1975–1976	Spain amateur	2	(0)
1974–1980	Spain	32	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

A player of immense physical power – he was nicknamed Tarzan^[2][3]– he was best known for his Barcelona spell, one that lasted 15 years.

Migueli appeared with the Spain national team at the 1978 World Cup and Euro 1980.

Club career

Migueli was born in Ceuta.^[1] After representing Cádiz CF from 1970 to 1973, competing in the Segunda División, he transferred to La Liga giants FC Barcelona,^[4] where he became an undisputed starter after just one league game in his first year, going on to make 391 appearances in the competition (549 overall, club's all-time best until 5 January 2011 when Xavi surpassed him in a Copa del Rey match against Athletic Bilbao);^[5][6] whilst he was performing his compulsory military service in Cádiz he made his official debut for the latter, and upon his return, not aware that he needed two special permits to leave the headquarters, he was jailed for one month.^[7]

In the final of the 1978–79 European Cup Winners' Cup against Fortuna Düsseldorf, Migueli played parts of the match, which went to extra time, with a broken collarbone, in an eventual 4–3 win.^[8][9] In the 1986–87 season, already well into his 30s, he still managed to make 41 appearances – 38 complete – and retired at the end of the following campaign, in which he added another domestic cup;^[10] he was still a part of new manager Johan Cruyff's plans, but chose not to continue.^[11]

Subsequently, Migueli worked with the Catalan club's coaching staffs in the Joan Gaspart presidency. On 17 September 2010, he was chosen by new chairman Sandro Rosell as sporting advisor alongside Josep Maria Fusté and Carles Rexach.^[12]

International career

Migueli earned 32 caps and scored one goal for Spain, his debut coming on 20 November 1974 in a 2–1 win in Scotland for the UEFA Euro 1976 qualifiers.^[13] He represented the nation at the 1978 FIFA World Cup and Euro 1980, for a total of four appearances.^[14]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Other[a]		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cádiz	1971–72	30	0	2	1	–		–		32	1
	1972–73	37	4	3	0	–		–		40	4
	Total	67	4	5	1	0	0	0	0	72	5
Barcelona	1973–74	1	0	0	0	0	0	–		1	0
	1974–75	29	2	4	0	6	0	–		39	2
	1975–76	34	5	5	0	9	1	–		48	6
	1976–77	25	1	1	0	7	0	–		33	1
	1977–78	33	2	6	1	10	1	–		49	4
	1978–79	28	0	2	0	9	1	–		39	1
	1979–80	31	2	2	1	7	0	–		40	3
	1980–81	20	3	6	1	2	0	–		28	4
	1981–82	3	0	1	0	2	0	–		6	0
	1982–83	31	1	6	0	6	0	6	0	49	1
	1983–84	30	0	7	0	3	1	2	0	42	1
	1984–85	32	4	8	0	1	0	4	0	44	4
	1985–86	29	0	5	0	9	0	1	0	44	0
	1986–87	41	0	0	0	8	0	–		49	0
	1987–88	24	0	7	0	6	0	–		37	0
	Total	391	20	60	3	85	4	13	0	549	27
Career total		458	24	64	4	85	4	13	0	620	32

1. Includes Supercopa de España, Copa de la Liga

International

Score and result list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Migueli goal.

International goal scored by Migueli

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	16 April 1980	El Molinón, Gijón, Spain	Czechoslovakia	1–1	2–2	Friendly[14]

Honours

Barcelona

• La Liga: 1973–74, 1984–85^[15]
• Copa del Rey: 1977–78, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88^[15]
• Supercopa de España: 1983^[15]
• Copa de la Liga: 1983, 1986^[15]
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1978–79, 1981–82^[8][15]

Individual

• Don Balón Award: 1977–78, 1984–85^[16]
• La Liga Team of The Year: 1977–78,^[17] 1979–80,^[18] 1982–83,^[19] 1983–84,^[20] 1984–85,^[21] 1986–87^[22]

Notes