Valencia have turned to Javier Aguirre as the club fight to pull themselves clear of the bottom end of La Liga, appointing the Mexican coach on Wednesday with the team sitting 19th.
The 67-year-old takes charge on a deal running until the end of the season, with an option for a further year. He replaces Carlos Corberan, who was dismissed 10 days ago as Valencia’s difficult start left them second from bottom.
Reserve-team manager Oscar Sanchez oversaw the first team in the interim and delivered Valencia’s first league victory of the campaign, a 1-0 win over Alavés. Aguirre now inherits a side still facing a long battle for survival.
A familiar face in Spanish football
Aguirre returns to a league he knows well after spells in charge of Atlético Madrid, Real Zaragoza, Espanyol, Leganés and Mallorca. His appointment brings considerable experience to a club seeking immediate stability rather than another short-term patch.
He arrives after leading Mexico at the World Cup this summer on home soil. Mexico reached the last 16 before losing 3-2 to England, ending a tournament in which Aguirre’s side produced a respectable run.
Valencia will now look to their new coach to translate that experience into points quickly, with the season already carrying the hard, cold pressure of the relegation places.
