Manuel Iturra
Personal information
Full name Manuel Rolando Iturra Urrutia[1]
Date of birth (1984-06-23) 23 June 1984 (age 39)[1]
Place of birth Temuco, Chile
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Universidad de Chile (assistant)
Youth career
Universidad de Chile
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2012 Universidad de Chile 216 (6)
2011 → União Leiria (loan) 11 (0)
2011–2012 → Murcia (loan) 35 (1)
2012–2013 Málaga 25 (0)
2013–2015 Granada 64 (1)
2015–2016 Udinese 17 (0)
2016 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 6 (0)
2016–2017 Necaxa 47 (0)
2018 Málaga 20 (0)
2018–2019 Villarreal 3 (0)
2019 Maccabi Haifa 2 (0)
2019 Deportes Iquique 10 (0)
2021–2022 Atlético Marbellí 7 (0)
Total 463 (8)
International career
2005–2012 Chile 33 (1)
Managerial career
2021–2022 UD San Pedro (youth)
2022–2023 Universidad de Chile (youth)
2024– Universidad de Chile (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Manuel Rolando Iturra Urrutia (Latin American Spanish: [ma'nwel i'tura]; born 23 June 1984) is a Chilean former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He currently is an assistant coach at Universidad de Chile.

Club career

U. Chile and Leiria

Born in Temuco, Iturra made his Primera División debut with Club Universidad de Chile in 2003, aged 19. He proceeded to be a first-team regular from his second season onwards, helping La U to the 2004 and 2009 Apertura tournaments.[2]

In January 2011, Iturra was loaned to U.D. Leiria in Portugal,[3] first appearing in the Primeira Liga on 12 February when he played the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 away win against C.D. Nacional.[4] He started in all but one of the league matches he featured in for the club, as it eventually finished in tenth position.

Spain

For 2011–12, Iturra joined Real Murcia of the Spanish Segunda División.[5][6] After featuring heavily during the campaign he returned to Universidad, where he had his contract terminated.

On 28 August 2012, free agent Iturra became the first summer signing of Málaga CF, as a direct replacement for Enzo Maresca who had moved to U.C. Sampdoria a few days before.[7] He made his official debut on 18 September in the club's first-ever UEFA Champions League group stage match, coming on as a half-time substitute for Francisco Portillo in a 3–0 home victory over FC Zenit Saint Petersburg.[8]

Iturra scored his first goal for Málaga on 16 January 2013, profiting from a defensive scramble to put the visitors ahead at the Camp Nou against FC Barcelona, in an eventual 2–2 draw in the Copa del Rey (6–4 aggregate loss).[9] He finished his first season at La Rosaleda Stadium with 39 appearances in all competitions, helping to a sixth-place finish in the league.[10]

From 2013 to 2015, Iturra represented Granada CF also in La Liga after signing a three-year contract.[11] He made his competitive debut for his new team on 18 August, featuring 90 minutes in a 2–1 win at CA Osasuna.[12]

Udinese

On 23 July 2015, Iturra joined Udinese Calcio, which like Granada was also owned by Italian businessman Giampaolo Pozzo.[13] His maiden Serie A match was on 23 August, and he played the entire 1–0 away defeat of Juventus FC.[14]

Iturra signed a six-month loan deal with Rayo Vallecano on 30 January 2016.[15] He made just four starts during his brief stay.[16]

Later years

On 4 June 2016, Iturra left Europe agreeing to a contract with Mexico's Club Necaxa.[16] He returned to Spain two years later, joining Villarreal CF for free[17] and leaving the club by mutual consent on 2 January 2019.[18]

In July 2021, Iturra was appointed youth manager of UD San Pedro, a small club in the Province of Málaga.[19]

In the 2021–2022 season, Iturra played for Atlético Marbellí[20] in the Segunda Andaluza Málaga, making 7 appearances.[21]

International career

Iturra made his debut for Chile on 17 August 2005, against Peru.[22] On 24 May of the following year, he scored the game's only goal in a friendly with the Republic of Ireland.[23]

Iturra represented the nation at the 2007 Copa América in Venezuela, helping the side to the quarter-finals.[24]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 24 May 2006 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland  Republic of Ireland 1–0 Win Friendly[23]

Coaching career

In 2021, he began his career as coach of UD San Pedro Juvenil A team.[25] In 2022, he joined Universidad de Chile youth system,[26] being confirmed for the 2023 season.[27]

For the 2024 season, he joined the technical staff of Gustavo Álvarez in the first team.[28]

Personal life

Iturra married Nadia Vargas, the daughter of the former Chile international goalkeeper Sergio Vargas. In addition, he is the brother-in-law of the also former goalkeeper, Emanuel Vargas.[29]

Honours

Universidad de Chile

References

  1. ^ a b c "Manuel Iturra". Málaga CF. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Manuel Iturra celebrará 200 partidos con la "U" ante Cruzeiro" [Manuel Iturra to celebrate 200 games with the "U" against Cruzeiro]. La Tercera (in Spanish). 7 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Portugal/ Official, União Leiria signed Iturra". Transfermarketweb. 10 January 2011. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  4. ^ Mendes, Manuel (12 February 2011). "U. Leiria derrota Nacional e regressa às vitórias" [U. Leiria defeat Nacional and return to wins]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  5. ^ "El Murcia ficha al centrocampista internacional chileno Manuel Iturra" [Murcia sign Chilean international midfielder Manuel Iturra]. ABC (in Spanish). Madrid. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  6. ^ Gamés, Diego (26 August 2011). "Iturra llega cedido y el club se guarda una opción de compra al final de la Liga" [Iturra arrives on loan and club reserves buyout option at the end of the League]. La Opinión de Murcia (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  7. ^ Ballesteros, Jesús (26 October 2012). "El fichaje más barato del jeque" [The sheikh's cheapest signing]. Marca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Magical Málaga make it a debut to remember". UEFA. 18 September 2012. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  9. ^ "Malaga equalizer jolts Barca at Camp Nou". ESPN FC. 16 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Manuel Iturra re-debuta en el Málaga" [Manuel Iturra makes re-debut with Málaga] (in Spanish). Goal. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  11. ^ Prieto, Juan (12 June 2013). "El Granada ficha a Iturra" [Granada sign Iturra]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  12. ^ "Granada hold on for victory". ESPN FC. 18 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  13. ^ "Udinese: arriva Iturra, ora sfoltire" [Udinese: Iturra arrives, now for some trimming down] (in Italian). Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Juventus-Udinese 0–1: il tabellino della gara" [Juventus-Udinese 0–1: the match report]. La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 23 August 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  15. ^ Colino, Jesús (30 January 2016). "Rayo Vallecano confirm deals for Piti and Manuel Iturra". Diario AS. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Manuel Iturra, primer refuerzo del Necaxa" [Manuel Iturra, first Necaxa addition] (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. 4 June 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  17. ^ "¡Bienvenido, Iturra!" [Welcome, Iturra!] (in Spanish). Villarreal CF. 4 September 2018. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Iturra se desvincula del Villarreal CF" [Iturra cuts ties with Villarreal CF] (in Spanish). Villarreal CF. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  19. ^ "Iturra se hace cargo del Juvenil A del San Pedro" [Iturra takes charge of San Pedro's Juvenil A] (in Spanish). Be Soccer. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  20. ^ Atlético Marbellí
  21. ^ "Iturra - Ex-Atlético Marbellí :: La Web del Fútbol Modesto ::". lapreferente.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  22. ^ "Chile reprobó el examen con una dolorosa derrota ante Perú" [Chile failed test with painful loss against Peru] (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 17 August 2005. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Rep of Ireland 0–1 Chile". BBC Sport. 24 May 2006. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  24. ^ "Chile dijo adiós a Copa América tras una catastrófica derrota ante Brasil" [Chile said goodbye to the Copa América following catastrophic loss against Brazil] (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 7 July 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  25. ^ "El San Pedro sorprende con su nuevo entrenador para el Juvenil A: Manuel Iturra". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 5 July 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  26. ^ Aguilar, Felipe (13 September 2022). "Manuel Iturra golpea la mesa y emplaza a la dirigencia de Universidad de Chile a ponerse los pantalones y asumir responsabilidades por la crisis azul". Bolavip Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  27. ^ Parker, Matías (11 January 2023). "De alumno en práctica a contrato indefinido: Manuel Colocho Iturra tomará la vacante de Esteban Valencia en las inferiores de la U" (in Spanish). La Tercera. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  28. ^ García, Javiera (27 December 2023). "Histórico de la U se suma al cuerpo técnico para 2024". RedGol (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  29. ^ Ferrero, Samuel (12 February 2016). "Nadia, la mujer de Colocho Iturra: Siempre me toca hacer la mudanza sola"" (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile: Las Últimas Noticias. Retrieved 4 July 2023.

External links

Chile squad – 2007 Copa América
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