Juan Sabas


Juan Sabas Huertas Lorente is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a forward, currently a manager.

Playing career

After starting out with local teams, Madrid-born Sabas went on to play as a senior for Rayo Vallecano, Atlético Madrid, Real Betis, CP Mérida, Albacete Balompié, Real Balompédica Linense, Hércules CF and Ciudad de Murcia, starting and finishing his 17-year career with Galáctico Pegaso and retiring at the age of 35.
Sabas won two Copa del Rey trophies with Atlético. In the 1991 [Copa del Rey Final|1991 final], he played 34 minutes of the 1–0 win against RCD Mallorca at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium after replacing the injured Paulo Futre.
Sabas appeared in 196 La Liga matches over nine seasons, and scored 34 goals. In the Segunda División, he added 82 games and 17 goals.

Coaching career

Sabas returned to Atlético in early 2009 as part of former teammate Abel Resino's coaching staff, having already worked with him in that capacity at Ciudad de Murcia and Levante UD. His first managerial experience occurred with UD [San Sebastián de los Reyes] during the 2013–14 season, and he later became a director of football at that club.
On 29 December 2016, Sabas was appointed head coach at Extremadura UD of the third division, being sacked the following 1 August. He returned to the Estadio Francisco de la Hera on 1 May 2018, helping to achieve a 2017–18 [Segunda División B|first-ever promotion to the second tier]; on 10 November, however, he was again dismissed.
Sabas was appointed by Córdoba CF on 10 March 2020, after the dismissal of Raül Agné. On 1 December, after only six matches, he was relieved of his duties.
On 24 October 2023, after nearly three years of inactivity, Sabas was named manager of UD Melilla in the Primera Federación. In March 2024, with his side in the relegation zone, he was fired.
Sabas took over fellow third-tier Zamora CF on 4 July 2024. He missed a play-off spot in his first season by six points, but was sacked on 3 November 2025.

Managerial statistics

Honours

Player

Atlético Madrid
Ciudad de Murcia