Espanyol have dismissed Manolo González after a poor start to the 2026-27 season, a Copa del Rey first-round exit to Sestao River and a league run that has left them in the relegation zone. The club said he is leaving after more than three seasons and 107 official matches in charge.
The league slide
Espanyol's league form had become hard to ignore. They have won only two of their ten matches, taken 8 points and sit 18th, with a record of 2 wins, 2 draws and 6 defeats.
The run also included one of the sharper warning signs in the numbers, a recent sequence of LLDLL. On 7 September, the club said González had already reached 100 official matches and had become the ninth coach with the most games managed in Espanyol's history.
The cup exit that pushed the decision
The cup exit to Sestao River by 4-3 came in the First Round and arrived just before the dismissal. Espanyol's statement said González's spell ended after more than three seasons, and thanked him for the work, commitment and effort shown since he took over the first-team bench.
The club also credited him with reaching the sporting objectives set and keeping the team in Spain's top flight during his time in charge. That record explains why the separation is being handled with respect, even if the league table and the cup result made the change difficult to avoid.
Espanyol now move into their next league match without the coach who had passed the 100-game mark only weeks ago.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
