Gabriel Bau i Fortanete

Gabriel Bau Fortanete (15 August 1892 – 7 October 1944), was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward for FC Barcelona, FC Espanya, and a brief spell at RCD Espanyol.

Club career Born in Barcelona, he began his career at FC Central in 1909, but the club was dissolved in 1910 and its field was acquired by FC Numancia, and most of the Central players, including Bau, joined Numancia. However, after just a couple of months with Numancia, Bau was signed by RCD Espanyol in that same year, but once again he only lasted a couple of months, being then signed by FC Espanya. Bau quickly become a key element of the team, and even though the team's main source of power was its infamous backline made of Hermenegild Casellas and Eduardo Reguera, he also played a very important role in the team's rise to national dominance, competing head-to-head against the likes of Barcelona and Espanyol, helping FC Espanya win its first-ever piece of silverware, the 1912–13 Catalan championship, which was followed by another championship in 1913–14, as the team's top scorer even ahead of the great Paulino Alcántara.

In 1916 he joined the ranks of CF Badalona where he would play one season as captain, before returning to Barcelona again the following year to play the 1917–1918 season. He spent his last years at Badalona where he played as a wildcard from left inside, midfield to defense until 1924, when he was signed by Sant Andreu where he ended his career in that same year.

He died in Barcelona and was buried in the Cemetery of the Corts, near his club's stadium.

Honours Club FC Espanya Catalan championship: Champions (2): 1912–13 and 1913–14

FC Barcelona Catalan championship: Champions (2): 1915–16 and 1917–18