Óscar Sánchez Fuentes (born 19 December 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played usually as a left-back. He is currently manager of Valencia Mestalla.
Playing career Sánchez was born in Murcia. After stints with Atlético Madrid's C and B teams and Segunda División side Badajoz, he joined Real Valladolid in 2002, where he was regularly used as a defensive backup.Pucelano histórico: Óscar Sánchez (Historic pucelano: Óscar Sánchez); Vavel, 26 April 2013 (in Spanish) He made his La Liga debut on 28 September 2002, playing three minutes in a 1–1 home draw against Real Madrid.El Real Madrid se atasca en Pucela (Real Madrid get stuck in Pucela); El Mundo, 28 September 2002 (in Spanish)
Sánchez helped Valladolid to achieve top-flight promotion in the 2006–07 season,Diez años del ascenso perfecto (Tenth anniversary of the perfect promotion); El Norte de Castilla, 22 April 2017 (in Spanish) participating in 21 league matches (1,262 minutes) the following campaign. After seven years, he signed for hometown club Real Murcia on a free transfer,Óscar Sánchez y Albiol, fichados (Óscar Sánchez and Albiol, signed); La Opinión de Murcia, 7 July 2009 (in Spanish) appearing in less than half of the games in his first year as his team suffered relegation from the second tier but being first-choice in the next in an immediate promotion.
On 22 October 2011, Sánchez scored a brace in a 3–1 home win over Villarreal B.El Murcia, en aguas tranquilas (Murcia, in still waters); Marca, 22 October 2011 (in Spanish) He netted a career-best seven goals that season, helping Murcia to narrowly escape relegation.Óscar Sánchez, un treintañero que gana con la edad (Óscar Sánchez, a thirty-year-old that gets better with age); La Opinión de Murcia, 27 February 2012 (in Spanish)Óscar Sánchez, candidato a la dirección deportiva del Murcia (Óscar Sánchez, candidate to Murcia's sporting direction); La Verdad, 19 April 2018 (in Spanish)
Coaching career After retiring at the age of 34, Sánchez was assistant manager in several teams under José Manuel Aira;«Entrenar es mucho más difícil de lo que pensaba» ("To manage is a lot harder than I thought"); La Verdad, 21 November 2014 (in Spanish)Óscar Sánchez, mano derecha de Aira (Óscar Sánchez, Aira's sidekick); Marca, 18 December 2018 (in Spanish) at Murcia, he was second-in-command to both Aira and Vicente Mir.Mir firma el finiquito y Óscar Sánchez se va (Mir receives compensation and Óscar Sánchez leaves); Diario Información, 25 November 2017 (in Spanish) For a brief period of time, he also worked as that club's director of football.Óscar Sánchez, el primer fichaje de Víctor Gálvez (Óscar Sánchez, Víctor Gálvez's first signing); La Opinión de Murcia, 19 April 2018 (in Spanish)
On 17 November 2021, Sánchez was named head coach of Orihuela in the Tercera División RFEF.El exmurcianista Óscar Sánchez, nuevo entrenador del Orihuela (Former Murcia man Óscar Sánchez, new manager of Orihuela); La Opinión de Murcia, 17 November 2021 (in Spanish) He led the side to promotion to Segunda Federación in 2023, but was dismissed on 11 December of that year.El Orihuela despide a Óscar Sánchez tras sumar el equipo solo dos puntos de los últimos dieciocho (Orihuela sack Óscar Sánchez after winning just two points out of the last eighteen); Alicante Plaza, 11 December 2023 (in Spanish)
Sánchez was subsequently in charge of Valencia's youth and senior reserve teams.Óscar Sánchez: del juvenil A al Valencia en menos de seis meses (Óscar Sánchez: from juvenil A to Valencia in less than six months); Marca, 13 September 2026 (in Spanish) On 13 September 2026, he was appointed caretaker manager of the main squad following the sacking of Carlos Corberán.Valencia sack Corberan and chief executive; BBC Sport, 13 September 2026Óscar Sánchez, un entrenador interino que tiene fe en el Valencia: “El equipo está totalmente capacitado para ganar al Alavés” (Óscar Sánchez, an interim manager who has faith in Valencia: "The team is fully capable of beating Alavés"); El País, 14 September 2026 (in Spanish) Two days later, on his debut, he oversaw a 1–0 away victory against Alavés.Las 'teclas' de Óscar Sánchez para dar la primera victoria al Valencia CF (Óscar Sánchez's 'keys' to give the first win to Valencia CF); Super Deporte, 16 September 2026 (in Spanish)
Managerial statistics
+ Managerial record by team and tenure TeamNatFromToRecord Orihuela16 November 202112 December 2023Valencia B24 March 2026PresentTotal—
Honours Valladolid Segunda División: 2006–07
Murcia Segunda División B: 2010–11El Real Murcia, campeón de Segunda B en los penaltis (Real Murcia, Segunda B champions on penalties); Marca, 13 June 2011 (in Spanish)
References
External links