Born in Meñaka, Biscay, Lotina started playing football with local Gernika Club, representing CD Castellón from 1981 to 1983.

[8] Lotina led RC Celta de Vigo to their first participation in the UEFA Champions League in 2002–03 as the Galicians finished fourth.

The following season, however, even though the team progressed through the group stage by notably defeating AC Milan 2–1 at the San Siro,[9] he was sacked after 21 rounds[10] in an eventual relegation.

[13] Lotina returned to his native region in the 2006–07 campaign, replacing the dismissed José Mari Bakero at the helm of 20th-placed Real Sociedad,[14] but the Basques were relegated from the first division for the first time in 40 years after ranking second-bottom.

[15][16] After a poor start, he more often than not switched to a 5–3–2 formation, going on to finish the year comfortably placed in mid-table and reach the UEFA Intertoto Cup,[17] where they won 3–1 on aggregate against Israel's Bnei Sakhnin F.C.

[11] On 21 June 2014, after a brief spell in the Cypriot First Division, Lotina was appointed head coach of newly promoted Qatar Stars League side Al-Shahania SC.