MADRID, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Manolo Gonzalez will remain head coach of La Liga side Espanyol for the 2026-27 season after the club confirmed on Monday that his contract has been extended by one year.
Gonzalez's previous deal contained a clause that triggered an automatic renewal if he kept the Barcelona-based club in the top flight. His future nevertheless appeared uncertain after an 18-match winless streak saw Espanyol slide from European contention into a relegation battle, before two wins in its final three matches secured safety and an 11th-place finish on 46 points.
The arrival of former Sevilla and Aston Villa sporting director Monchi earlier this month also fuelled speculation over a possible coaching change, but those doubts were dispelled by an official post on social media.
"Manolo Gonzalez will continue 2027 after securing our team's survival and receiving Monchi's trust," posted Espanyol.
"He's the right person. He's the person we're going to place all our trust in. From the first time I spoke with him, he knew that my confidence in him was absolute. It's true, and I have to be honest, that this confidence has only grown as I've gotten to know him better."
"He's the right person to continue building the Espanyol we all want," commented Monchi. ■
