Espanyol, the LaLiga side whose ownership group includes former NFL star J.J. Watt, have sacked coach Manolo González following Tuesday’s Copa del Rey exit to fourth-tier side Sestao River.
Sestao scored twice in extra time, including a dramatic 121st-minute winner, to seal a shock 4-3 victory and knock the Primera División side out in the first round.
González, 47, was already under pressure following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Racing Santander.
That loss left Barcelona-based Espanyol in the relegation zone in LaLiga and extended their winless run to five league games. They have won just twice in all competitions this season.
Defeat to lower-league opposition proved the final straw for the club’s owners, Velocity Sports Limited (VSL), the investment group led by American businessman Alan Pace and backed by investors including Watt.
González becomes the second coach to be dismissed by VSL in four days after Burnley, the English Championship club also owned by the group, sacked Nicky Hayen.
Burnley, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, have won just one of their opening 12 Championship fixtures.
A 4-1 defeat at Lincoln City on Saturday preceded Hayen’s dismissal, with González following him out of the door on Tuesday.
VSL acquired Burnley in 2020, overseeing three relegations from the Premier League and two promotions from the Championship.
The group took control of Espanyol in October 2025, replacing Chinese company Rastar Group as the Catalan club’s majority shareholder.
Watt, who played as a defensive end for the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals, has become a high-profile figure in the ownership group, attending games, supporting the clubs on social media and wearing their merchandise during appearances on American television.
