Manuel Lucena
Manuel 'Manolo' Lucena Medina is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender.
His professional career was mainly associated with Granada, with which he competed in all four Spanish [football league system|major levels of Spanish football].
Club career
Lucena was born in Granada, Andalusia. In 2002 he signed for his hometown's Granada CF, at the time in the Tercera División. After two years as a starter he was loaned to Marino de Luanco of Segunda División B, being first-choice in his 2004–05 [Segunda División B|only season] as the Asturias club narrowly avoided relegation.In the summer of 2005, Lucena joined Sporting de Gijón in the Segunda División. In January 2006, with only three league appearances to his credit – seven minutes in total – he returned to Granada, scoring five goals as the team promoted from the fourth division.
Lucena remained a key player in the following three third-tier campaigns, never appearing in less than 32 league games and occasionally pitching in at defensive midfielder. In 2009–10, already as team captain, he contributed 26 matches and one goal en route to a return to division two after 22 years.
In late June 2011, after a second consecutive promotion for Granada, with him as the club's only player from the region of Granada, Lucena renewed his contract for a further two seasons. He made his La Liga debut on 27 August in a 0–1 home loss against Real Betis, but totalled only nine official games over two seasons, being released subsequently.
Lucena retired at the end of the 2013–14 campaign at the age of 31, following a spell with CD Mirandés in the second tier. In February 2015, he returned to Granada as match delegate.