Abelardo Fernández (commonly known simply as Abelardo) is a retired Spanish professional footballer and current football coach, born on March 19, 1970, in Gijón, Asturias, Spain.

• Full name: Abelardo Fernández Antuña
• Nationality: Spanish
• Position: Centre-back / Left-back
• Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
• Youth club: Sporting Gijón

Club career

• Sporting Gijón — Abelardo progressed through Sporting Gijón's youth system and made his first-team debut in the late 1980s, becoming an important defender for the club.
• FC Barcelona (1994–2002) — Transferred to Barcelona where he enjoyed the most prominent years of his playing career, winning domestic titles including La Liga (1997–98) and Copa del Rey (1996–97). He was a regular in Barça’s defense for much of the 1990s.
• Return to Sporting Gijón — He finished his playing career back at Sporting Gijón before retiring in the early 2000s due to knee problems.

International career (Spain)

• Spain national team — Abelardo earned 54 caps for Spain between 1991 and 2000, scoring 2 goals.
• He represented Spain at major tournaments including UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1994 FIFA World Cup (he was in the squad for the 1994 tournament and played during the 1990s cycle of the national team).

Coaching career

• After retiring, Abelardo moved into coaching. He has managed youth and reserve teams as well as senior sides, notably including Sporting Gijón (senior team), Alavés, and Espanyol (interim role).
• He is known for his leadership and strong ties to Sporting Gijón, where he has had multiple spells as coach.

Legacy

• Abelardo is remembered as a reliable, combative central defender with leadership qualities, successful spells at Barcelona, and a significant international career with Spain.