Manu del Moral

Manu

Personal information
Full name	Manuel del Moral Fernández
Date of birth	25 February 1984 (1984-02-25) (age 27)
Place of birth	Jaén, Spain
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Sevilla
Number	20
Youth career
	Jaén
2001–2002	Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2006	Atlético B	50	(4)
2003–2005	→ Recreativo (loan)	33	(4)
2005–2006	Atlético Madrid	5	(0)
2006–2011	Getafe	159	(37)
2011–	Sevilla	10	(4)
National team‡
2002–2003	Spain U19	4	(3)
2002–2003	Spain U20	9	(0)
2005	Spain U23	5	(2)
2011–	Spain	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 October 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 June 2011

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Del Moral and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.

Manuel del Moral Fernández, aka Manu (born 25 February 1984 in Jaén, Andalusia), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Sevilla FC. A forward who can also appear as a winger, his main attribute is speed.

Club career

Atlético

After starting his formation with local Real Jaén,^[1] del Moral finished it with Atlético de Madrid, where he played alongside Braulio, and served a two-season loan in the second division at Recreativo de Huelva, only appearing in five matches with one goal during his first season.

While mainly registered with the capital side's B team, he did appear in five La Liga matches in 2005–06, mainly as a late substitute.

Getafe

In 2006–07, Manu joined Madrid neighbours Getafe CF, scoring his first top flight goal on 22 October 2006, in a 2–1 success at precisely Recre, finishing the season with eight (squad's second-best, behind Daniel Güiza). The following season he teamed up again with Braulio, and scored seven during the league campaign (joint-top scorer alongside Uruguayan Juan Albín), while also helping the Madrid outskirts team to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals.

The arrival of Roberto Soldado relegated del Moral to a more secondary role in 2008–09, but he still appeared in 29 league contests, operating mostly on the wings. On 24 January 2010, he scored the game's only goal, as Getafe defeated former side Atlético Madrid for the first time at home in its history.^[2]

On 14 March 2011, Manu scored three goals against Athletic Bilbao in only 25 minutes, one in his own net, in an eventual 2–2 home draw.^[3] He finished the season with a career-best nine goals, as Getafe narrowly avoided relegation.

Sevilla

On 23 May 2011, del Moral signed a four-year contract with Sevilla FC, for €20 million.^[4] Following the departure of winger Diego Capel and the ageing of striker Frédéric Kanouté, he was immediately cast into his new team's starting XI. On 25 October, he hit an injury-time header to earn the Andalusians one point at home against Racing de Santander (2–2) - he had also opened the score late into the first half.^[5]

International career

On 7 June 2011, after his best season at Getafe, del Moral made his debut for Spain, replacing David Villa during half-time of a 3–0 friendly win with Venezuela.^[6]

Club statistics

Accurate as of 17 April 2011.

Club	Season	League		Cup		Continental		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Atlético B	2002–03	36	3	—		—		36	3
	2003–04	14	1	—		—		14	1
	Total	50	4	—		—		50	4
Recreativo	2003–04	5	1	—		—		5	1
	2004–05	28	3	4	0	—		32	3
	Total	33	4	4	0	0	0	37	4
Atlético Madrid	2005–06	5	0	0	0	—		5	0
	Total	5	0	0	0	—		5	0
Getafe	2006–07	29	8	6	0	—		35	8
	2007–08	34	7	5	1	7	0	46	8
	2008–09	29	5	1	0	—		39	8
	2009–10	36	8	8	1	—		44	9
	2010–11	28	9	2	0	5	0	35	9
	Total	156	37	22	2	12	0	190	39
Career totals		244	45	26	2	12	0	282	47

Honours

Getafe

• Copa del Rey: Runner-up 2007–08

Spain U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: Runner-up 2003

Spain U23

• Mediterranean Games: 2005

References

1. ^ Cómo se 'fabrica' un Manu del Moral (How to 'make' a Manu del Moral); Ideal, 21 January 2008 (Spanish)
2. ^ Manu haunts old club; ESPN Soccernet, 24 January 2010
3. ^ Vera rescues point for Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 14 March 2011
4. ^ Official: Sevilla sign Manu del Moral and Piotr Trochowski; Goal.com, 23 May 2011
5. ^ Manu salvages point for Sevilla; ESPN Soccernet, 25 October 2011
6. ^ Manu wins first Spain call-up; ESPN Soccernet, 25 May 2011

External links

• Sevilla official profile
• BDFutbol profile
• Futbolme profile (Spanish)
• National team data (Spanish)
• Manu del Moral – FIFA competition record
• Transfermarkt profile

Persondata
Name	Manu del Moral
Alternative names	Manu
Short description	Spanish footballer
Date of birth	25 February 1984
Place of birth	Jaén, Spain
Date of death
Place of death