Valencia strengthens goalkeeping department

Unai Alba returns to Valencia as goalkeeping coach, rejoining the club where he worked from 2014 to 2023 before his spell at Barcelona's academy.

Valencia has appointed Unai Alba as goalkeeping coach for the first team and academy. Alba, who was born in Oyarzun in 1978, will work alongside Andoni Ochotorena and has signed an initial contract through 30 June.

Alba is currently the goalkeeping coach at Barcelona's B team and is negotiating a friendly departure from the club. He previously worked at Valencia's Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna from 2014 until joining Barcelona's academy in 2023, initially coaching academy goalkeepers before moving to the B team.

The appointment adds another member to manager Javier Aguirre's technical staff. Aguirre had attempted to bring Joseba Ituarte, his longtime goalkeeping coach, but Valencia only permitted him to recruit two additional coaches of his choosing: Toni Amor and Pol Lorente.