Eder Sarabia Appointed Espanyol Manager Until 2028 After Manolo Gonzalez Sacking

RCD Espanyol moved quickly to appoint a new manager on Wednesday 28 October 2026. The club confirmed Eder Sarabia as the new coach of the first team, with a contract that runs until 30 June 2028. The appointment came less than 24 hours after the dismissal of Manolo Gonzalez. Sarabia arrives at a club in the relegation zone, with eight points from 10 league matches, and with confidence low after a painful cup defeat. The speed of the decision showed that the board had already prepared for change. Espanyol needed a new direction, and Sarabia now carries the task of turning a difficult season around. His first league test comes away at Villarreal on Friday, and the match will give an early indication of the response from the squad.

What Espanyol Announced

Espanyol confirmed the agreement through the official announcement from Espanyol on the club website and social media channels. The statement said that RCD Espanyol de Barcelona had reached an agreement with Eder Sarabia to become the coach of the first team. The length of the deal was the clearest sign of intent. A contract until June 2028 gives Sarabia time beyond the current season, even though the immediate task is survival in LaLiga. The club presented the appointment as a long term project, but the pressure for points will be immediate. Espanyol sit 18th in the table after 10 matches, and the gap to safety will not close without a run of results. Sarabia will work with a squad that has won only two of the first 10 league matches, and the mood around the club has been shaped by a run of one point from the last five league matches.

Why Manolo Gonzalez Left

Manolo Gonzalez was dismissed on Tuesday after Espanyol lost 4-3 after extra time to Sestao River in the first round of the Copa del Rey. Sestao River play in the fourth tier, and the defeat at Las Llanas became the decisive moment in a difficult period for the coach. Jon Rojo scored the winning goal in the 121st minute, after a match that had swung back and forth through extra time. Espanyol had led early through a Marcos Fernandez penalty, fallen behind, and then forced extra time with a Roberto Fernandez penalty in the 90th minute. Gabriel Moscardo put Espanyol ahead again in extra time, but Sestao River levelled and then won the tie late. The cup exit followed a 2-1 league defeat at Racing Santander on Saturday, and it was the third straight season in which Espanyol had been eliminated from the Copa del Rey by lower league opposition. Gonzalez had been in charge for more than three seasons and 107 competitive matches, after promotion from the reserve side in March 2024 and promotion back to LaLiga at the end of that season. The club thanked him for professionalism, commitment and dedication, but the board decided that a change was needed.

Sergio Garcia And The Interim Step

Before the Sarabia appointment was confirmed, reserve team coach Sergio Garcia took charge of the senior squad on an interim basis. Garcia led the first training session on Wednesday and was the figure in the dugout picture while the club completed the permanent appointment. Garcia had been in charge of Espanyol B, and his playing career included more than 230 appearances and more than 50 goals for Espanyol. He had also worked with the Spain Under 17 national team and in youth football at Damm. Reports said that Garcia would lead the team from the touchline for the Friday league match at Villarreal while Sarabia formally assumed his duties. That arrangement underlined how little time the new coaching team had to prepare. Garcia knew the club, knew the players in the reserve structure, and could provide stability for a few days. The permanent appointment then gave the squad a clear leader for the weeks ahead, with Garcia returning to a supporting role in the structure.

Who Eder Sarabia Is

Sarabia is 46 years old and arrives with recent LaLiga experience. He spent years as an assistant to Quique Setien at Las Palmas, Real Betis and Barcelona, including seven months as assistant at Barcelona in 2020. The experience gave him a close view of elite level preparation, tactical planning and the demands of a big club environment. He then built his own head coach career at FC Andorra, where he won promotion from the third tier to the second tier in 2022. His next step came at Elche, where he guided the club to promotion to LaLiga and then kept the club in the top flight in the following season. That record mattered for Espanyol, because the immediate need is to stay in LaLiga and rebuild confidence. Sarabia is known for possession based football, and reports said that sporting director Monchi and owner Alan Pace had identified that style as the solution for the struggles at Espanyol. He arrived with a trusted backroom staff, including Jon Lopez, Jon Moreno and Aitor Unzue. Alvaro Gonzalez also joined the staff, in a return to a club where he made 82 league appearances as a player between 2014 and 2016.

The Task Ahead At Espanyol

The first priority is points. Espanyol have eight points from 10 matches, and the recent league form shows four defeats and one draw in the last five matches. The defeat at Racing Santander was a clear example of the problem. Edu Exposito put Espanyol ahead in the 62nd minute, but Racing Santander completed a comeback with goals from Jeanuel Belocian and Yassir Zabiri. The squad has shown that it can score first, but it has not protected leads with enough consistency. Sarabia must improve defensive organisation, restore belief, and find a settled team shape quickly. The Villarreal match on Friday is difficult, because Villarreal have been strong at home in recent meetings between the clubs. After that match, the new coach will have more training time to shape the team. The club also marked the 126th anniversary of its founding on 28 October, a reminder of the history behind the current crisis. Fans were also given a vote on the home kit for the 2027-28 season, with three designs on offer. The anniversary arrived in a sombre mood, but it also underlined the scale of the club that Sarabia has joined.

Sarabia career path.

Role	Club	Detail
Assistant to Quique Setien	Las Palmas, Real Betis and Barcelona	Seven months at Barcelona in 2020.
Head coach	FC Andorra	Promotion to second tier in 2022.
Head coach	Elche	Promotion to LaLiga and survival in the top flight.
Head coach	Espanyol	Contract until 30 June 2028.

Frequently Asked Questions