Spanish footballer
In this
Spanish name , the first or paternal
surname is
Vélez de Mendizábal and the second or maternal family name is
Fernández de Garaialde .
Iñigo Vélez de Mendizábal Fernández de Garaialde (born 15 March 1982), known asIñigo orVélez , is a Spanish formerfootballer who played as aforward , currently amanager .
Born inVitoria-Gasteiz ,Álava , Vélez began his career in the lower leagues, playing for localCD Aurrerá de Vitoria andRCD Espanyol 'sB team . In the summer of 2004 he signed forSD Eibar of theSegunda División , scoring four goals in 40 games in hissecond season as they were eventually relegated.
Íñigo competed inLa Liga withReal Murcia CF in2007–08 ,[ 1] in another relegation-ending campaign.[ 2] He made his debut in the competition as a latesubstitute in a 2–0 away loss againstVillarreal CF on 23 September 2007,[ 3] [ 4] netting two months later in the 1–1 draw atRCD Mallorca .[ 5]
The following season , Vélez joinedAthletic Bilbao ,[ 6] but took almost no part whatsoever in theBasque side's campaign (only five competitive matches).[ 7] His contract was mutually terminated in late July 2009, and he joined relegatedCD Numancia on a three-year deal, with the former club being able to re-buy in 2010 or 2011 – Athletic teammateJoseba Garmendia also made the move.[ 8] [ 9]
Iñigo continued playing in the second tier in2011–12 , penning a two-year contract withXerez CD .[ 10] After suffering relegationin 2013 , and following an unsuccessful trial withCD Guadalajara , he decided to retire due to recurrent injury problems.[ 11] [ 12] [ 13]
On 13 May 2016, Vélez was appointed manager of amateursUD Aretxabaleta .[ 14] On 2 June 2018, he signed withSD Amorebieta in the same capacity.[ 15] With a 1–0playoff win atCD Badajoz on 22 May 2021, he guided the team tothe second division for the first time in their history.[ 16]
Vélez was dismissed by Amorebieta on 8 March 2022.[ 17] Nearly one year later, he becameCD Lugo 's fourth coach ofthe campaign .[ 18]
On 16 June 2023, having been unable to prevent theGalicians ' relegation, Vélez signed as new coach ofSD Ponferradina , who also went down toPrimera Federación .[ 19] He was relieved of his duties the following 18 March, after a run of one win in the last five games.[ 20]
On 22 December 2024, Vélez replacedAbel Gómez at the helm ofRecreativo de Huelva also in the third tier.[ 21] The following 23 April, he was himself dismissed with the club in the relegation zone.[ 22]
Managerial statistics [ edit ] As of 24 April 2025 Managerial record by team and tenure Team Nat From To Record Ref G W D L GF GA GD Win % Aretxabaleta 17 May 2016 2 June 2018 68 29 23 16 91 57 +34 0 42.65 [ 23] Amorebieta 2 June 2018 8 March 2022 129 47 41 41 156 157 −1 0 36.43 [ 24] Lugo 7 March 2023 16 June 2023 12 1 5 6 7 16 −9 00 8.33 [ 25] Ponferradina 16 June 2023 18 March 2024 29 13 11 5 29 18 +11 0 44.83 [ 26] Recreativo 22 December 2024 23 April 2025 15 3 7 5 11 19 −8 0 20.00 [ 27] Career total 253 93 87 73 294 267 +27 0 36.76 —
^ "De Lucas ficha por el recién ascendido Real Murcia" [De Lucas signs for recently promoted Real Murcia].El Confidencial (in Spanish). 20 June 2007. Retrieved17 January 2018 .^ Santos, Jorge; Stokkermans, Karel; Dalence, Daniel; Schöggl, Hans."Spain 2007/08" .RSSSF . Retrieved5 October 2011 . ^ "Rossi termina con la resistencia del Murcia" [Rossi ends Murcia's resistance].El Mundo (in Spanish). 23 September 2007. Retrieved17 January 2018 .^ "Villarreal 2–0 Murcia" .ESPN Soccernet . 23 September 2007. Archived fromthe original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved5 October 2011 .^ "Webó libra de la derrota al Mallorca" [Webó saves Mallorca from losing].El País (in Spanish). 2 December 2007. Retrieved17 January 2018 .^ "Iñigo Vélez, presentado con el Athletic" [Iñigo Vélez, presented at Athletic].Marca (in Spanish). 17 July 2008. Retrieved17 January 2018 .^ Rodrigálvarez, Eduardo (30 October 2008)."El Athletic, a mitad de camino" [Athletic, halfway there].El País (in Spanish). Retrieved17 January 2018 . ^ "Joseba Garmendia ficha por el Numancia" [Joseba Garmendia signs for Numancia].Diario AS (in Spanish). 24 July 2009. Retrieved8 October 2024 .^ "Breve enciclopedia numantina" [Briefnumantina encyclopedia].Desde Soria (in Spanish). 29 May 2013. Retrieved14 October 2019 .^ "Íñigo Vélez, experiencia y gol para el ataque xerecista" [Íñigo Vélez, experience and goal toxerecista attack] (in Spanish). Xerez CD. 8 July 2011. Archived fromthe original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved17 January 2018 .^ "El Xerez ficha al nigeriano Ogbeche" [Xerez sign Nigerian Ogbeche].Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 18 January 2013. Retrieved17 January 2018 .^ "Iñigo Vélez medita retirarse tras no superar un control médico" [Iñigo Vélez thinks about retiring after failing medical].El Correo (in Spanish). 27 August 2013. Retrieved17 January 2018 .^ Zabala Hidalgo, Mikel (5 March 2014)."Entrevista a Iñigo Vélez de Mendizábal" [Interview to Iñigo Vélez de Mendizábal] (in Spanish). Álava en Tu Fútbol. Archived fromthe original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved22 September 2015 . ^ Ramos, Joxebi (13 May 2016)."Iñigo Vélez de Mendizabal nuevo entrenador para el División de Honor Regional de la UDA" [Iñigo Vélez de Mendizabal new manager for UDA's Regional Honour Division].El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved17 January 2018 . ^ Lourido, David (2 June 2018)."Iñigo Vélez dirigirá al Amorebieta" [Iñigo Vélez will manage Amorebieta] (in Spanish).Vavel . Retrieved26 June 2018 . ^ "Íñigo Vélez, entrenador del SD Amorebieta: "Con el ascenso a Segunda hemos conseguido algo histórico" " [Íñigo Vélez, manager of SD Amorebieta: "With the promotion toSegunda we have achieved something historic"] (in Spanish).Onda Cero . 23 May 2021. Retrieved27 May 2021 .^ "Haritz Mujika sustituye a Iñigo Vélez de Mendizabal al frente del primer equipo de la SDA" [Haritz Mújika replaces Iñigo Vélez de Mendizabal at the helm of SDA's first team] (in Spanish). SD Amorebieta. 8 March 2022. Retrieved8 March 2022 .^ "Íñigo Vélez, nuevo entrenador del CD Lugo" [Íñigo Vélez, new manager of CD Lugo] (in Spanish). CD Lugo. 7 March 2023. Retrieved7 March 2023 .^ "Acuerdo con Íñigo Vélez como técnico del equipo para la próxima temporada" [Agreement with Íñigo Vélez as manager of the team for the following season] (in Spanish). SD Ponferradina. 16 June 2023. Retrieved20 June 2023 .^ "Comunicado de la SD Ponferradina" [SD Ponferradina statement] (in Spanish). SD Ponferradina. 18 March 2024. Retrieved20 March 2024 .^ "Íñigo Vélez se convierte en nuevo entrenador del Recreativo de Huelva" [Íñigo Vélez becomes the new manager of Recreativo de Huelva] (in Spanish). Huelva Información. 22 December 2024. Retrieved23 December 2024 .^ "Iñigo Vélez, cesado como entrenador del Recreativo de Huelva" [Iñigo Vélez, sacked as manager of Recreativo de Huelva] (in Spanish). Huelva Información. 23 April 2025. Retrieved24 April 2025 .^ "División de Honor Regional Guipuzcoana 2016–17" [Gipuzkoan Regional Honour Division 2016–17] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved13 March 2019 ."División de Honor Regional Guipuzcoana 2017–18" [Gipuzkoan Regional Honour Division 2017–18] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved13 March 2019 .^ "Matches Iñigo Vélez, 2018–19 season" .BDFutbol ."Matches Iñigo Vélez, 2019–20 season" .BDFutbol ."Matches Iñigo Vélez, 2020–21 season" .BDFutbol ."Matches Iñigo Vélez, 2021–22 season" .BDFutbol .^ "Matches Iñigo Vélez, 2022–23 season" .BDFutbol .^ "Matches Iñigo Vélez, 2023–24 season" .BDFutbol .^ "Matches Iñigo Vélez, 2024–25 season" .BDFutbol .