Manolo González manages his 100th match as head coach of RCD Espanyol this weekend against Sevilla at the RCDE Stadium. The 47-year-old manager, from Folgoso do Courel in Lugo, reaches this milestone after being promoted from the reserve team in 2023 and achieving the objectives of promotion and top-flight survival. According to the report from La Vanguardia Deportes, in his first 99 games in charge the team has recorded 32 wins, 28 draws, and scored 109 goals.
Espanyol approaches this match after an irregular start to the season, sitting 14th in La Liga with 3 points from three games. Their record shows one win and two losses, with a goal tally of 5 for and 4 against. The team is six points behind leaders Barcelona and faces this milestone with the confirmed absence of the injured Andoni Gorosabel.
How did Manolo González reach the first-team bench?
His path to the top job started within the club's youth system. González managed 26 matches with the reserve team before being promoted in 2023. His first victory in charge of the senior side came on March 12, 2024, at La Romareda in Zaragoza, with a goal from Puado securing a 0-1 win. That success was the first step of a project that culminated in promotion to the First Division in the 2023-24 season.
Since then, the club has achieved two consecutive survivals in the top flight under his leadership. His work has earned him the respect of the board, now headed by sporting director Monchi, with whom he works closely. Previously, González worked under Garagarza and alongside Chen, relationships that have evolved into the current structure with Pace and Monchi at the helm.
What does this milestone mean for the club's history?
Reaching 100 matches places Manolo González on a historic path for RCD Espanyol. If he completes the current season, he would add 35 more games to reach 134, making him the third manager with the most matches managed in the club's history. Only Mauricio Pochettino, with 161 games, and José Antonio Santamaría, who leads the list with 231, would be ahead of him.
Monchi, the sporting director, has publicly expressed his support for the coach. "Manolo was given a standing ovation at the end of last season. He is a beloved person." he stated. He added: "My confidence in him is total." This stability contrasts with the paths of other former Espanyol coaches like Pochettino, Aguirre, Camacho, or Azkargorta, who later became national team managers.
What is the team's current context?
The team faces this symbolic match in a moment of consolidation. The squad is looking to find consistency after a league start with ups and downs. Fans can check the team's progress and the league table on our standings page.
Gonzalez has shown an ability to react during his tenure, such as when he made an early change by substituting Urko at halftime in a match at Anoeta. His philosophy is based on methodical work, inherited from his playing days at clubs like Sant Gabriel, La Montañesa, Badalona (in two spells), Ebro, and Peña Deportiva before arriving at Espanyol.
What comes after the 100th match?
The immediate horizon for RCD Espanyol is a trip to El Sadar to face Osasuna on September 12. The Navarrese side currently sits in sixth place, presenting a significant challenge. The details of this and upcoming fixtures are available on our fixtures calendar.
With Gorosabel on the injuries list, the manager will have to adjust his lineup. The clear objective is to add points to distance themselves from the relegation zone and move closer to mid-table. Manolo González, in his 100th match, has the opportunity to give a new impetus to the season in front of his fans at the RCDE Stadium.
