Espanyol Sack Manolo Gonzalez After Copa del Rey Defeat at Sestao River

Espanyol sacked head coach Manolo Gonzalez on Tuesday 27 October 2026, hours after a shock defeat in the Copa del Rey.

Sestao River Win Ends Gonzalez Tenure

Espanyol announced the decision on Tuesday after a 4-3 defeat after extra time at Sestao River, a team from the fourth tier. Jon Rojo scored the winning goal for Sestao River in the 121st minute. The defeat ended the Espanyol run in the first round of the Copa del Rey and proved to be the final match in charge for Gonzalez.

League Form Added Pressure

Espanyol entered the cup tie in 18th place in LaLiga, with eight points from ten league matches and six defeats. The club had gone five matches without a victory in the league, after winning two of the first five league matches of the season. The most recent league defeat came away at Racing Santander, a 2-1 loss that left Espanyol in the relegation zone.

Gonzalez Record at Espanyol

Gonzalez took charge of Espanyol in March 2024 after promotion from the reserve side. He guided the club back to LaLiga in the same season and stayed in charge for more than three seasons. Espanyol said that Gonzalez left after 107 competitive matches in charge of the first team, and thanked him for his work, commitment and dedication. The second half of last season brought an 18-match winless run that lasted 143 days, and pressure on the coach grew again during the poor start to the current season.

What Happens Next

Espanyol did not name a replacement at the time of the announcement. The next match for Espanyol is on Friday, away at Villarreal. The new coach will inherit a team in the relegation zone, with the task of turning league form around while the club searches for stability.

Why the Sestao River Defeat Proved Decisive

The defeat at Sestao River carried weight because it ended the Copa del Rey run in the first round and arrived after a poor run in LaLiga. Espanyol lost 4-3 after extra time to a team from the fourth tier, and Jon Rojo scored the winning goal in the 121st minute. The result was described as a shock defeat, and the decision followed hours later on Tuesday 27 October 2026. The cup exit came after the poor league run, and the two results together formed the background to the decision on Tuesday.

Extra time added to the scale of the defeat. The match reached the 121st minute, and Jon Rojo scored the winning goal for Sestao River at that stage. The 4-3 score showed a match with seven goals in total, and the outcome placed Sestao River through while Espanyol left the competition at the first stage. For a LaLiga club, a first round exit to a fourth tier opponent creates a clear contrast between the level of the two teams, and that contrast helps to explain why the result was described as a shock defeat.

Espanyol League Form Before the Cup Tie

The league position before the cup tie was 18th place, with eight points from ten league matches and six defeats. Espanyol had won two of the first five league matches of the season, and then went five matches without a victory in the league. The most recent league defeat was a 2-1 loss away at Racing Santander, and that result left Espanyol in the relegation zone. The cup tie therefore arrived when league form was already weak, and the defeat in the cup added a further setback at a time when results in the league had not improved.

The Record of Manolo Gonzalez at Espanyol

Gonzalez was 47 and took charge in March 2024 after promotion from the reserve side. He guided the club back to LaLiga in the same season, and he stayed in charge for more than three seasons. Espanyol said that he left after 107 competitive matches in charge of the first team, and the club thanked him for his work, commitment and dedication. The second half of last season brought an 18-match winless run that lasted 143 days, and pressure grew again during the poor start to the current season. Spanish media had reported ahead of the cup tie on Tuesday that his job was under threat, so the decision did not arrive without warning in public discussion.

What Comes Next for the Next Espanyol Coach

No replacement had been named at the time of the announcement, and the next match is on Friday, away at Villarreal. The new coach will inherit a team in the relegation zone, with the task of turning league form around while the club searches for stability. With the Copa del Rey run ended in the first round, the immediate focus in the matches ahead will be on league results, and the first task will be to stop the run without a victory and to move away from 18th place.

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