Real Betis confirm Rubi appointment after Espanyol exit

Real Betis have confirmed the appointment of Rubi as their new Coach after Espanyol announced his departure on Thursday.

The former Levante and Sporting Gijon boss has been appointed on a three-year contract at Los Verdiblancos, it has been confirmed.

Espanyol – who had been linked to former Betis boss Quique Setien and Pablo Machin, formerly of Sevilla – are set to appoint B team boss David Gallego as Rubi’s successor.

Betis are said to have paid Espanyol €900k (the Coach’s release clause) to complete the operation and will improve his wage, with the club’s said to have been negotiating this figure in recent weeks.

It is said that Espanyol had been irritated by the Coach’s attitude during the negotiation process and he reportedly is demanding his compensation for guiding the club into Europe before his departure.

Rubi led Huesca to promotion from the second tier for the first time in the club’s history in 2018 but subsequently moved to the RCDE Stadium.

The success continued for the 49-year-old last season as he returned the Catalan club to European football for the first time in over a decade.

Espanyol went unbeaten through their last nine matches of the season, including winning each of their last three, to clinch seventh place and a return to the Europa League.

Betis had been on the lookout for a new Coach after dismissing Setien at the end of the season – the club’s form nosedived after Christmas and they ended the campaign in 10th.

Espanyol owner Chen Yansheng was said to be extremely keen to retain Coach Rubi but he was unable to prevent his departure when his release clause was triggered.

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