Espanyol weigh coaching change as Julen Lopetegui emerges as leading candidate

Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez is at increasing risk of losing his job if the club’s poor run of results continues, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.

The club’s board is not currently planning to dismiss Gonzalez, and he is expected to remain in charge for Tuesday’s Copa del Rey match against Sestao River. He could also be given the opportunity to lead the side against Villarreal on Friday, although a defeat by Sestao River could bring his tenure to an earlier end.

Espanyol’s sporting director Monchi is assessing a number of possible replacements, with Julen Lopetegui currently considered the leading candidate. Lopetegui is the present manager of the Qatar national team and has previously coached Real Madrid and Sevilla.

The list of alternatives also includes the Argentinians Eduardo Coudet and Eduardo Berizzo, as well as Jose Luis Mendilibar, should Espanyol decide to make a change in the dugout.

Lopetegui’s name was put forward among the available options by journalist Jose Agustin Gomez, and Sport says the former Spain international is at the top of the club’s shortlist.

The Basque coach has previous experience in La Liga with Real Madrid and Sevilla. He has also managed in the Premier League, taking charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United.

Lopetegui left club management in January 2025 before beginning a new role in the Middle East. He became Qatar manager in May of the same year.

A return to La Liga could appeal to Lopetegui, with Espanyol looking to begin a new project under Monchi. The club’s sporting director is therefore considering whether the experienced coach would be the right person to lead that next phase.

Coudet is another prominent option. He left River Plate after taking charge of the club in March, having previously departed Deportivo Alaves during the season.

Berizzo, also from Argentina, is available after leaving Leon in Mexico in September 2025. His previous clubs include Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao.

Mendilibar is also without a club after his spell with Olympiacos ended in September. However, a deal for the experienced Spanish manager is thought to be more complicated.

Mendilibar and Monchi previously worked during the same period, when Monchi was responsible for Sevilla’s sporting department. Their relationship did not end positively during Monchi’s time at Aston Villa.

Despite the number of potential successors being considered, Gonzalez will have another opportunity to remain in the job when Espanyol face Sestao River in the Copa del Rey. That chance could extend to the Villarreal match on Friday if the club avoids defeat in the cup.