Carles Rexach

Carles 'Charly' Rexach i Cerdà (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈkaɾləz rəˈʃak]; born 13 January 1947) is a Spanish former football winger and manager.

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

Carles Rexach
Rexach in 2008
Personal information
Full name Carles Rexach i Cerdà
Date of birth (1947-01-13) 13 January 1947
Place of birth Pedralbes, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
1958–1959 Rosés
1959–1965 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1965–1981 Barcelona 328 (81)
1965–1967 → Condal (loan) 22 (2)
Total 350 (83)
National team
1965 Spain U18 2 (0)
1967–1970 Spain U23 7 (3)
1966 Spain amateur 3 (0)
1969–1978 Spain 15 (2)
Teams managed
1982–1983 Catalonia (youth)
1983–1984 Barcelona B (assistant)
1984–1987 Barcelona (youth)
1987–1996 Barcelona (assistant)
1991 Barcelona (caretaker)
1998 Yokohama Flügels
2001–2002 Barcelona
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

His career was mainly associated to Barcelona, spending 44 years at the club as a player (youth levels included) and coach.[1] He formed a successful partnership with Johan Cruyff, both on and off the field,[2][3][4] and as a player appeared in 638 games and scored 197 goals, winning the Pichichi Trophy in 1971; he won a combined eight titles both capacities combined, including the La Liga championship in the 1973–74 season and the 1979 Cup Winners' Cup.

Rexach appeared for Spain at the 1978 World Cup, earning 15 caps in nine years.

Playing career

Born in Pedralbes, Barcelona, Catalonia,[4] Rexach made his senior debut for FC Barcelona on 25 April 1965 after having joined their youth system as a 12-year-old, scoring once in a 4–0 away win against Racing de Santander for the Copa del Generalísimo.[5] His first appearance in La Liga took place on 10 September 1967, and he also found the net, but in a 2–3 away loss to Real Zaragoza;[6] additionally, he spent two years on loan to CD Condal, who acted as the farm team.

In the 1970–71 season, Rexach scored a career-best 17 goals to win the Pichichi Trophy alongside Atlético Madrid player José Eulogio Gárate.[7] His team finished in second position with the same points as champions Valencia CF, adding the domestic cup.[8]

On 5 November 1974, Rexach netted a hat-trick to help the hosts defeat Feyenoord 3–0 in the second round of the European Cup, after three assists from longtime teammate Johan Cruyff.[9] In the final of the 1978 Spanish Cup, he was chosen Man of the match after scoring twice in a 3–1 triumph over UD Las Palmas;[10] on 16 May of the following year, he contributed with one goal in the 4–3 extra time defeat of Fortuna Düsseldorf in the decisive match of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.[11]

Rexach retired in 1981 at the age of 34, and on 1 September, Barcelona played a testimonial match against Argentina at the Camp Nou.[12] He made his debut for the Spain national side on 23 April 1969, playing the second half of the 0–0 friendly draw to Mexico in Seville;[13] selected to the 1978 FIFA World Cup squad, he featured once in an eventual group stage exit.[14]

Coaching career

After retiring, Rexach joined the coaching staff at FC Barcelona B. In 1984, he co-founded the TARR football school in his native city with fellow ex-players Juan Manuel Asensi, Joaquim Rifé and Antoni Torres.[15]

Rexach joined Luis Aragonés's staff for the 1987–88 season, and briefly became caretaker manager when the latter departed after suffering a bout of depression.[16] When Cruyff was subsequently appointed, he remained an assistant.[17][18][4]

When chain smoker Cruyff needed emergency heart surgery during the 1990–91 campaign, Rexach once again stepped up,[19] leading the club to its 11th league title – his first game in charge was on 27 February 1991, in a 6–0 home win against Las Palmas for the domestic cup.[20] He remained in the position throughout the Dream Team era[21] and, after president Josep Lluís Nuñez sacked the Dutchman in May 1996, once again became head coach, a decision which allegedly cost him the friendship of Cruyff;[22][23] after new manager Bobby Robson replaced him with José Mourinho as his assistant he became a scout, going on to be responsible for discovering Lionel Messi.[24]

In 1998, Rexach moved to the Yokohama Flügels. During his spell in the J.League, he worked with former Barcelona players Ion Andoni Goikoetxea and Julio Salinas.[25]

After Lorenzo Serra Ferrer was sacked by Barcelona towards the end of 2000–01, Rexach was named his successor.[26] In the last matchday, following a 3–2 home defeat of Valencia CF and courtesy of a Rivaldo 87th-minute wonder goal, they managed to qualify for the Champions League;[27] this resulted in him being appointed coach by Joan Gaspart for the following season,[28] but after being ousted by Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League,[29] by UE Figueres in the Spanish Cup[30] and having lost the final of the Copa Catalunya to CF Balaguer,[31] he was fired and replaced by a returning Louis van Gaal, continuing to work with the club in directorial capacities.[32]

On 8 April 2010, Rexach announced his intention to run for Barcelona's presidency,[33] Nothing came of it eventually, but he was nonetheless chosen by new chairman Sandro Rosell as sporting advisor alongside Josep Maria Fusté and Migueli.[34]

Honours

Player

Barcelona

Individual

Manager

Barcelona

Club statistics

[35]

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
1964–65BarcelonaLa Liga00210021
1965–6600310031
1966–6700000000
1967–682262110257
1968–691422151214
1969–7026761523710
1970–71291793424222
1971–722654150355
1972–732773020327
1973–7428971003510
1974–7531610743910
1975–7632662854613
1976–771400051191
1977–7822965743513
1978–792441072326
1979–802432053316
1980–81905021151
Career total 3288159166325450122

Managerial statistics

[36]

Team From To Record
GWDLWin %
Yokohama Flügels 1998 1998 25 12 0 13 048.00
Total 25 12 0 13 048.00

References
  1. "Carles Rexach y Goyo Benito recuerdan los partidos de máxima rivalidad que vivieron, 42 entre ambos" [Carles Rexach and Goyo Benito remember top rivalry matches they experienced, 42 combined]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 November 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  2. "Carles Rexach: "Con Johan habíamos paseado por el paraíso del fútbol"" [Carles Rexach: “With Johan we had walked in football heaven”]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 27 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  3. "Escribe Rexach: "Johan era un amigo que todos echaremos de menos"" [Rexach writes: “Johan was a friend that will be missed by all”]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  4. "Carles Rexach, el Niño de Pedrables y alter ego de Cruyff, cumple 70 años" [Carles Rexach, the Boy from Pedrables and Cruyff's alter ego, turns 70] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  5. "Figuras del fútbol juvenil" [Youth football figures]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 April 1965. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  6. "3–2: Dos veces por delante en el marcador, el Barcelona se confió en exceso. Rexach, Fuste, Villa e Canario (2), autores de los goles" [3–2: Twice leading the scoreboard, Barcelona were over-confident. Rexach, Fuste, Villa and Canario (2), the goal scorers]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 11 September 1967. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  7. "Spain – List of Topscorers ("Pichichi") 1929–2015". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  8. "Spain – Cup 1971". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  9. "¡¡3–0 y... el delirio!!" [3–0 and... raptures!!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 6 November 1974. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  10. "Victoria clara en una final de poca categoría" [Clear win in final with little class]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 20 April 1978. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  11. "1978/79: Barcelona win seven-goal thriller". UEFA.com. 1 June 1979. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  12. "Rexach se despedirá del fútbol el próximo martes" [Rexach will say goodbye to football next Tuesday]. El País (in Spanish). 29 August 1981. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  13. "0–0: Otra vez al descubierto los males de nuestro fútbol" [0–0: Shortcomings of our football again bare naked for all to see]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 24 April 1969. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  14. "1–2: Para empezar, naufragio ante Austria" [1–2: For starters, shipwreck against Austria]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 4 June 1978. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  15. "Qué fue de... Asensi" [What happened to... Asensi] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  16. "Luis Aragonés sufre una nueva depresión que le impide dirigir al Barcelona" [Luis Aragonés suffers new depression which prevents him from coaching Barcelona]. El País (in Spanish). 20 January 1988. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  17. "Rexach empieza la "revolución" sin Cruyff" [Rexach starts the "revolution" without Cruyff] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 27 May 1988. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  18. "Rexach: "Leo se cubre mientras Cruyff decide"" [Rexach: "Leo takes shelter whereas Cruyff decides"]. El País (in Spanish). 22 April 1992. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  19. "El tabaco, la batalla más larga de Cruyff" [Smoking, Cruyff's longest battle]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 24 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  20. "¡Va por usted, míster!" [Here's looking at you, mister!] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 February 1991. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  21. ""El gol de Koeman es el más visto de la historia del Barça"" ["Koeman's goal is the most viewed in the history of Barça"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 9 June 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  22. "Atrapado por su barcelonismo" [Trapped by his barcelonismo] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 19 May 1996. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  23. "Los duros ataques de Johan Cruyff a Núñez, Rosell y Rexach" [Johan Cruyff's tough attacks on Núñez, Rosell and Rexach]. Sport (in Spanish). 5 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  24. "Ex-Barcelona coach Carles Rexach praised for discovering Lionel Messi". Goal. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  25. "Carles Rexach se va a entrenar a Japón" [Carles Rexach goes to Japan to coach]. El País (in Spanish). 31 December 1997. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  26. "Rexach, por tercera vez" [Rexach, third time around] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 24 April 2001. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  27. "Rivaldazo de Champions" [Champions Rivaldazo] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 18 June 2001. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  28. "Años oscuros" [Dark years] (in Spanish). La Contra Crónica. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  29. "Madrid hold off brave Barcelona". UEFA. 2 May 2002. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  30. "El Barcelona nunca había caído en primera ronda" [Barcelona had never fell in the first round]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 8 November 2001. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  31. "El Balaguer fa història i guanya la Copa Catalunya davant el Barça" [Balaguer make history and win the Catalonia Cup against Barça] (in Catalan). La Xarxa. 14 June 2001. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  32. "Rexach viajará con el equipo" [Rexach will travel with the team] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 11 July 2002. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  33. "Rexach confirma su intención de presentarse a las elecciones del Barça" [Rexach confirms intention of running for Barça elections]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 8 April 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  34. "Rexach, Migueli y Fusté serán asesores deportivos del Barça" [Rexach, Migueli and Fusté will be sporting advisors at Barça]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 17 September 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  35. Carles Rexach at BDFutbol
  36. レシャック [Carlos REXACH Serda] (in Japanese). J.League Data. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
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