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 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.
Former manager Rubi guided the Pericos to a Europa League spot for the first time in over a decade last season, and will sign on a two-year deal with an option to extend for one.
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.
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 RCD Espanyol, 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.