David Gallego announced new Espanyol manager as Rubi leaves

Former youth team coach takes over for first permanent stint in charge of club

David Gallego, the new manager of Espanyol. (Photo: RCD Espanyol)
David Gallego, the new manager of Espanyol. (Photo: RCD Espanyol) / Cillian Shields

Cillian Shields | Barcelona

June 6, 2019 03:00 PM

David Gallego has been named the new manager of Catalan side RCD Espanyol, after former coach Rubi departed the jobto take over at Real Betis.

Gallego took over the first team for the final five games of last season, winning four of them and drawing the other. He has previously managed Espanyol's B team who narrowly missed out on a promotion playoff spot last season in the Segunda División B, Spain's third tier of football.

The new coach signed a two-year deal to begin his first full season in top flight football. 

Many players in the current first team already owe some of their success to their new manager, as Gallego has helped form them into the players they are today from the youth team

Marc Roca, Óscar MelendoÁlex López, and Javi Puado are some examples of players that have already benefitted from the training of David Gallego. 

Rubi helped the Catalan club seal European competition for next season in unlikely circumstances on the last day of the season, capping off a fantastic finish to the campaign that saw the club go unbeaten in nine games, winning the final three.

The Barcelona-born manager is on an impressive upward trajectory in his managerial career, after guiding Huesca to the top flight of Spanish football in 2017/18 and impressing in Cornellà-El Prat last season.

After the payment of around €900,000 was paid to break the contract with the Pericos, Rubi will be free to take up the new position at Betis. Despite the lack of European competition next season, Betis will be able to offer the coach a higher salary and a bigger budget to build a competitive squad over the long-term. 

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