Valverde turns down Valencia job: Óscar Sánchez to stay in charge until international break

Valencia's search for a new head coach continues after Ernesto Valverde ruled himself out of the running. The Basque manager has told the club he will not return to the touchline this season, forcing sporting director Braulio Vázquez to accelerate the search for an alternative. Interim coach Óscar Sánchez, meanwhile, will lead the team in upcoming league fixtures against Alavés and Real Sociedad.

• Ernesto Valverde has thanked Valencia for their interest but is committed to spending the season away from management.
• Valverde and Braulio Vázquez worked together at Mestalla during the 2012-13 campaign, which made the Basque coach a leading candidate.
• Óscar Sánchez will remain in charge for matches against Alavés and Real Sociedad before the international break.
• Valencia hope to announce a permanent appointment in the coming days so he can work during the break.
• The club's short-term aim is to stop the poor run of results and stabilise a squad that is expected to need January reinforcements.

Why Ernesto Valverde rejected the Valencia job

Any possibility of seeing Valverde back at Mestalla came to an end when the former Athletic Club manager explained his position directly to Braulio Vázquez. The coach is sticking with a decision he made months ago: to step away from football temporarily and not take charge of any club during the current campaign. That stance has not shifted despite Valencia's approach.

The strong relationship between the two, built during their time together at Valencia in the 2012-13 season, had placed Valverde among the best-placed candidates for the job. His refusal, however, leaves the club with no option but to focus entirely on other targets who can arrive quickly.

What is at stake for Valencia against Alavés and Real Sociedad

With Óscar Sánchez working as interim boss, Valencia face two consecutive league games in which points are badly needed to ease the growing sense of crisis. The club believes there is not enough time to reach an agreement, present a new coach and properly prepare the team before this weekend's fixture, so Sánchez will also be on the bench for the trip to Real Sociedad.

The immediate focus is not a drastic change of approach, but rather stopping the negative dynamic and giving the dressing room a stable reference before the new head coach arrives. The players need to recover confidence and competitive edge over the next two matchdays.

Braulio Vázquez's plan for the new head coach and the international break

Valencia's sporting department held several remote meetings on Monday to continue evaluating candidates after Valverde's rejection. The aim is to make a permanent appointment official in the coming days, allowing the new coach to use the international break as a kind of mini pre-season with the squad.

That three-week window is seen internally as a chance to introduce new working methods, adjust routines and start implementing a clear footballing identity without the immediate pressure of competitive fixtures. The club accepts that a coaching change will not produce an instant turnaround, but believes that period can deliver a stronger foundation.

How Valencia are approaching the January transfer window and squad rebuild

There is no expectation of an overnight transformation at Mestalla. The plan involves stopping the slide, restoring some consistency to results and preparing the squad adjustments that will be needed. Club officials view the current group as incomplete and expect the winter market to be vital for reinforcing specific areas.

The arrival of a new coach should also help identify which profiles fit his playing ideas. With the international break approaching, Valencia want to use that time to assess the available players and head into January with well-considered decisions about the squad.

What three straight games mean for interim coach Óscar Sánchez

The interim coach will not only be in the dugout against Alavés this weekend but will also remain in charge for the following matchday at Real Sociedad. That gives him a third consecutive week with the first team, an extended opportunity to reinforce basic patterns and keep the group moving forward despite difficult recent results.

His role, shaped by the temporary nature of the position, is about maintaining tactical order, pushing for a reaction from the dressing room and making the team competitive again while Valencia complete the process of hiring a permanent successor.