Granada CF

From Betis academy graduate to Granada starter.

Álex Martínez joined Granada CF on 26 June 2017, signing a two-year contract with the club after leaving Real Betis as a free agent. Granada had just been relegated from La Liga, and Martínez was brought in to help the team push for an immediate return. A starter in his first season, he dealt with several injury problems and eventually lost his starting spot to Quini in his second, which ended in promotion.

Lore & Background

Martínez arrived at Granada in the summer of 2017, a free agent after his contract with Real Betis expired. The club had just dropped out of the top flight, and he was expected to be a key figure in their push for promotion. In his first season, he was a regular starter, but injuries began to pile up, limiting his consistency. By his second season, he had lost his starting spot to Quini, though the team still achieved promotion back to La Liga. The 2019–20 campaign saw him fall further down the pecking order after Carlos Neva was promoted to the first team. Martínez made just one appearance during the whole campaign, and on 29 September 2020, he terminated his contract with Granada.

Reader's Guide

Martínez's time at Granada can be split into three phases. First, as a starter in 2017–18, he played regularly despite injury problems. Third, in 2019–20, he was pushed further down the order after Carlos Neva's promotion, making just one appearance before terminating his contract on 29 September 2020. Key numbers: two-year contract signed 26 June 2017, one appearance in his final season, contract terminated 29 September 2020.