Espanyol sack Manolo

Manolo González sacked after Espanyol slipped into relegation zone and crashed out of Copa del Rey to lower-league Sestao River.

Espanyol have dismissed manager Manolo González following a concerning run of form that has left the club in the relegation places. The decision comes after the team suffered six defeats in their last ten matches, accumulating just one point from a possible 15, and were eliminated from the Copa del Rey in the first round by Segunda RFEF side Sestao River.

González, who became the ninth most-capped manager in Espanyol's history with 107 official matches in charge, had been a popular figure at the club. He arrived as youth team coach in July 2023 and was promoted to the first team in March 2024, going on to achieve all his objectives: securing promotion to the top flight and two successful seasons maintaining their status. He was automatically renewed last May until 2027 following director general Ramón Rodríguez Monchi's arrival.

However, a troubling 18-game winless run in 2026 wore down both the fanbase and the squad, despite Espanyol finishing 2025 in fifth place with five consecutive victories and 60 points accumulated. The combination of poor recent results, weak performances, and the Copa del Rey exit proved decisive. Over his time in charge, González recorded 33 wins, 30 draws and 43 defeats across 106 official matches.