1. Early Life and Background
Miguel de Andrés Barace was born on 8 October 1957, in Ochagavía - Otsagabia, a municipality in Navarre, Spain. His early football journey began with local youth clubs, demonstrating talent that quickly drew attention from major professional clubs.
1.1. Youth Career and Joining Athletic Bilbao
De Andrés started his youth career with clubs such as BerbinsanaSpanish and PamplonaSpanish before joining the renowned youth system of Athletic Bilbao, known as Lezama, in 1975. His potential was recognized early on, attracting interest from prominent Spanish clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Athletic Bilbao secured his transfer by paying his previous club 400.00 K ESP and committed to an additional 5.00 M ESP if he made his debut with the first team. He spent two years developing his skills with the reserves in the lower leagues, making 59 appearances and scoring 3 goals, gaining valuable experience before his senior team debut.
1.2. Loan to CD Castellón
Before making his mark on the senior team at Athletic Bilbao, de Andrés was loaned to CD Castellón for one season during the 1978-79 campaign. During his time with CD Castellón in the Segunda División, he made 29 appearances and scored 1 goal, contributing to his development as a professional player. This loan spell provided him with crucial first-team experience, preparing him for his eventual return to his parent club.
2. Club Career
Miguel de Andrés Barace's professional club career was predominantly defined by his nine years at Athletic Bilbao, where he became a key figure in one of the club's most successful periods. He was known for his versatility, primarily operating as a defensive midfielder but also capable of playing as a defender, including as a sweeper.
2.1. Debut and Performance at Athletic Bilbao
After his loan spell, the 21-year-old de Andrés returned to Athletic Bilbao and was given a chance in the main squad by manager Helmut Senekowitsch, who had previously managed the Austria national side. He made his La Liga debut on 9 September 1979, in a 2-1 away defeat against UD Salamanca.
Early in the 1980-81 season, Senekowitsch was dismissed after a significant 7-1 loss to Real Madrid, but de Andrés maintained his position in the starting lineup. He consistently started in every league match he played for Athletic. Although his preferred position was sweeper, he was predominantly deployed as a defensive midfielder. Under the management of Javier Clemente, de Andrés was instrumental in the team's success, contributing 55 games and scoring 4 goals as Athletic Bilbao secured back-to-back domestic league titles. He possessed a powerful shot with both legs, a skill he notably displayed on 9 February 1983, when he scored two long-range goals in a 5-2 home victory over RCD Espanyol at the San Mamés Stadium during a heavy snowfall.
2.2. Major Tournament Wins
De Andrés was a central figure in Athletic Bilbao's golden era of the early 1980s. He won two consecutive La Liga titles in the 1982-83 and 1983-84 seasons. In the 1983-84 season, he also started in the Copa del Rey final, which Athletic Bilbao won 1-0 against FC Barcelona in Madrid, completing the double. Following this victory, Athletic Bilbao was automatically awarded the Supercopa de España for 1984 as winners of both the league and cup.
The Copa del Rey final was marred by a significant post-match brawl involving players from both teams. De Andrés was one of six players initially suspended for their involvement in the altercation, alongside Paco Clos, Diego Maradona, Migueli, Andoni Goikoetxea, and Manuel Sarabia. However, the suspensions were later lifted.
2.3. Injury and Retirement
The 1986-87 season proved to be disastrous for de Andrés. After legendary player José Ángel Iribar replaced Clemente as head coach, de Andrés suffered an injury against Sporting de Gijón on the first matchday, which led to several relapses throughout the season. His challenging season continued when he was suspended by the club for refusing to appear in a cup match against CD Logroñés.
His career effectively ended in the 31st round of the league season, during a match against Real Madrid. As Bilbao fought to avoid falling into the relegation group (a unique format for that season, where the competition was divided into three groups after the regular season), de Andrés's knee was severely injured when opponent Ricardo Gallego fell on it. This injury shattered his knee, and he never played for the Lions again.
Despite Howard Kendall being appointed Athletic Bilbao's manager in 1987, de Andrés retired from professional football after spending a year on the sidelines, at the age of 31. He concluded his playing career with 267 official appearances for Athletic Bilbao, scoring 12 goals.
2.4. Post-retirement Activities
Following his retirement from professional football, Miguel de Andrés continued his association with Athletic Bilbao. He transitioned into a new role within the club, working as a scout. In this capacity, he contributed to the club by identifying and recruiting new talent.
3. International Career
Miguel de Andrés Barace also had a brief but notable international career, representing Spain at both youth and senior levels.
3.1. Olympic Team
De Andrés was part of the Spanish national team that participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. He played every minute of Spain's matches in the tournament. Despite his consistent presence, the team was eliminated in the group stage, having drawn all three of their matches. Manager José Santamaría deployed him in the defensive sector, often alongside Agustín Gajate of Real Sociedad.
3.2. Senior National Team
De Andrés was included in the preliminary 40-man squad for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, which was held on home soil, again under coach Santamaría. However, he did not make the final cut for the tournament.
After Miguel Muñoz was appointed manager and Spain qualified for UEFA Euro 1984, de Andrés finally made his full senior international debut on 18 January 1984. This occurred in a 0-1 friendly loss against Hungary in Cádiz. Three months later, he made his second and final appearance for the national team, playing ten minutes in a 2-1 victory against Denmark in Valencia. Despite these appearances, he was ultimately overlooked for the final squad that finished as runners-up in France at UEFA Euro 1984. He earned a total of 2 caps for the senior Spanish national team, scoring no goals.
4. Honours
Athletic Bilbao
- La Liga: 1982-83, 1983-84
- Copa del Rey: 1983-84
- Supercopa de España: 1984 (Athletic Bilbao were awarded the trophy as winners of the double)