Espanyol sacks coach after Copa Del Rey shock
Espanyol have sacked coach Manolo Gonzalez following their Copa del Rey defeat by fourth-tier Sestao River Club, the LaLiga side said.
Gonzalez, who admitted before the match that his future was at stake, paid the price for Espanyol's 4-3 extra-time loss to Sestao.
"RCD Espanyol, on behalf of club president Alan Pace, and its Board of Directors, wish to express our gratitude to Manolo Gonzalez for the work, commitment, and effort he has shown since taking charge of the first team," Espanyol said.
"The club particularly values the professionalism and dedication he brought to his role, as well as the way he tackled the various sporting challenges he faced."
Appointed in March 2024, Gonzalez guided Espanyol to promotion within months of taking charge and then kept the Catalan club in LaLiga over the next two seasons.
"(I'm) feeling really down, completely shattered, and bearing the full weight of responsibility for everything," Gonzalez told reporters after the defeat to Sestao.
"It’s one of the worst days of my life, without a doubt."
Espanyol has struggled for form in 2026, losing five of Gonzalez's final six games in charge.
It is 18th in LaLiga with eight points and hosts Villarreal.
