February 14, (THEWILL) – Spanish club Rayo Vallecano have relieved manager Francisco Rodriguez of his duties, just over half a year since his appointment in the summer. The La Liga side confirmed that 36-year-old Inigo Perez will take over head coach responsibilities.
The Madrid-based team disclosed the managerial change through an official statement on Wednesday. Rayo have struggled in recent matches, losing their last three league games in a row. Their weekend 2-1 defeat away at 16th-placed Real Mallorca extended their winless streak to five matches total, leaving them 14th in the 2023/2024 La Liga table.
Perez steps up from assistant manager, having been part of the Rayo Vallecano coaching staff during the 2022/2023 season. He is a former Athletic Bilbao midfielder. This top-tier manager role represents Perez’s first such assignment since moving into coaching.
Rayo Vallecano face league leaders Real Madrid at home on Sunday. They then play away to second-placed Girona a week later, on Sunday, February 26. The club will hope Perez can turn around their flagging fortunes but against the top two sides, that will be a tall order in his first pair of games.
