Eder Sarabia appointed Espanyol manager after Copa del Rey exit

Espanyol have appointed former Barcelona assistant coach Eder Sarabia as their new manager on a contract running until June 2028.

The 46-year-old replaces Manolo Gonzalez, who was dismissed on Tuesday after Espanyol suffered a shock 4-3 defeat by fourth-tier Sestao in the Copa del Rey.

Sarabia joins after a successful period with Elche, whom he led to promotion to La Liga before guiding them to safety in Spain’s top flight.

He also spent seven months as assistant manager to Quique Setien at Barcelona in 2020, gaining experience at one of the country’s biggest clubs.

Espanyol confirmed Sarabia’s official presentation and first news conference will be held next Tuesday at the Juan Segura Palomares Auditorium.

But the new manager will have little time to prepare for his first match, with Espanyol facing Villarreal on Friday.

The club are 18th in La Liga after 10 matches, with eight points from their opening fixtures. Sarabia’s immediate task is to move Espanyol away from the relegation zone and rebuild confidence following their disappointing cup defeat.