Espanyol keeps Manolo González in charge before Sestao River and Villarreal
Manolo González remains Espanyol's head coach despite the defeat in Santander and the club's slide into the relegation zone. He led Sunday's training session at the Dani Jarque training ground and will be on the touchline for Tuesday's Copa del Rey tie against Sestao River.
Byvarela5 min read
RCD Espanyol have decided to stand by Manolo González, at least for now. After the 2-1 defeat against Racing at El Sardinero, which dropped the team into the relegation zone, the Galician coach took charge of Sunday's training session at the Dani Jarque training ground. He will be in the dugout on Tuesday at Las Llanas, where Espanyol face Sestao River in the first round of the Copa del Rey. His position, however, remains fragile, with sporting director Monchi already exploring different scenarios.
- Manolo González led Sunday's training session and will be on the touchline for the Copa del Rey tie at Sestao River.
- Espanyol sit in the relegation zone after losing in Santander and Elche beating Rayo.
- The sporting department, with Monchi at the helm, has not ruled out an imminent coaching change.
- Julen Lopetegui has emerged as a potential replacement in recent hours.
- González faces a tense press conference on Monday amid growing speculation over his future.
Santander defeat pushes Espanyol into the relegation zone
The loss to Racing, sealed by Yassir Zabiri's 84th-minute goal, marks Espanyol's fourth defeat in their last five league matches. The team have collected just one point from the last fifteen available, a run that has dragged them into the bottom three. To make matters worse, Elche's emphatic 0-3 win over Rayo Vallecano completed a damaging round of results for the Catalan side.
The habit of conceding late goals has become a serious problem. Málaga and Atlético Madrid had already punished Espanyol in the closing stages, and the same happened against Racing. González could not explain the collapse in his press conference: "The feeling is that you make yourself small, I don't know why. We didn't even change the system, we stopped pressing their build-up play, I don't know why," he admitted with visible exhaustion.
Monchi stays calm but considers a change on the touchline
Despite the rumors of dismissal that intensified in the hours after the match, the sporting leadership led by Monchi chose not to rush. With two games in just four days, the feeling inside the club is that changing the coach now would not guarantee immediate improvement. That does not mean González's future is safe: the director of football is working with several alternatives on the table.
Julen Lopetegui's name has been mentioned as a strong candidate, as first reported by Onda Cero. The sporting department is keeping all options open, but prefers to assess the team's reaction in the next two fixtures before making a final decision.
Two games in four days, two lifelines for Manolo González
The schedule offers no breathing room. On Tuesday, Espanyol visit Sestao River, a Segunda Federación side, in the first round of the Copa del Rey at 19:00 local time. It is a single-leg tie in which anything less than qualification could accelerate events. Then, on Friday, they travel to La Cerámica to take on Carlos Romero and Gerard Moreno's Villarreal in LaLiga at 21:00.
The most widespread reading is that only a cup win plus avoiding defeat against Villarreal would allow González to keep his job. The coach himself sounded resigned when asked about his position: "Any decision the club makes is within their rights. It does not depend solely on me," he said from El Sardinero, aware that his credit is running out.
A 2026 to forget: four wins in 31 matches
The numbers back up the sense of crisis. Add the current run of four defeats in five matches to the 18 consecutive games without a win last season, and the overall record for 2026 is just four victories in 31 outings. It is a figure that explains why the coach's continuity is hanging by a thread. The sporting project is not working and the fan base is showing clear signs of exhaustion.
A decisive press conference on Monday
On Monday, starting at 12:00, Manolo González will face his most tense press conference since taking charge. Questions about his future will be unavoidable, and he will have to address them in front of the cameras under enormous pressure. His answers could set the tone for a week in which Espanyol are playing for much more than three points or a cup round: they are playing for the stability of a bench in full meltdown.
The feeling is that you make yourself small, I don't know why. We didn't even change the system, we stopped pressing their build-up play, I don't know why.
Frequently asked questions
Will Manolo González stay in charge for Espanyol's Copa del Rey game against Sestao River?
Yes, Manolo González ran Sunday's training session at the Dani Jarque training ground and will take his place on the touchline for Tuesday's match at Las Llanas. The club decided not to make an immediate change with two games coming up in quick succession.
Could Julen Lopetegui replace Manolo González at Espanyol?
Julen Lopetegui's name emerged as a possible replacement in recent hours, with Onda Cero first reporting the link. The sporting department under Monchi is evaluating several options, although González remains in charge for now.
What does Manolo González need to do to keep his job at Espanyol?
The general feeling is that only a win in the Copa del Rey tie against Sestao River and avoiding defeat at Villarreal would prevent a change. A poor result in either of the next two matches could trigger his dismissal.