Espanyol fires coach Manolo González after shock Spanish Cup exit to fourth-tier Sestao River

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Espanyol coach Manolo González was fired on Tuesday, hours after his side was knocked out of the Spanish Cup in the first round by a fourth-tier team.The 47-year-old González was already under pressure after Espanyol started the season with six losses in 10 league matches to leave it 18th in La Liga.Tuesday’s 4-3 loss at Sestao River, after extra time, proved to be the final straw.“RCD Espanyol have decided to bring Manolo González’s tenure as coach of the club to an end,” the club said in a statement.“The two parties part ways after more than three seasons and 107 official games in charge of the first team, a period during which he left his personal and professional mark, both on the pitch and in the team’s day-to-day operations.”González took charge of Espanyol in March 2024 and led it straight to promotion to the top flight.No replacement has been named yet. Espanyol’s next match is on Friday, at Villarreal.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here