(Football news) Struggling Valencia have hired former player Rubén Baraja as their head coach on Tuesday to replace Gennaro Gattuso who got sacked by the club after a string of dismal performances as Baraja’s job is to help the team avoid relegation. Baraja, previously coached several second-division clubs in Spain as he arrived with Valencia sitting in 18th place after 21 matches in the relegation zone.

Gattuso was sacked last month after a series of very poor results. Interim coach Voro González has been in charge of the club until now but he lost all three matches in which he was in charge. Gattuso arrived in June on a two-year contract but the Italian coach left the team in 14th place. The 47-year-old Baraja is a former Valencia and Spain midfielder who previously coached teams such as Real Zaragoza, Tenerife, Sporting Gijón, Rayo Vallecano and Elche. He had small stints in charge of a Valencia youth squad but Baraja has not been coaching ever since leaving Real Zaragoza in 2020.

As a player, Baraja was a Valencia legend winning the Spanish league titles in 2002 and 2004, in addition to a UEFA Cup, a European Super Cup and a Copa del Rey. Another former Valencia player, Carlos Marchena is set to be part of Baraja’s coaching staff. He was a former teammate of Baraja at the club and both the former players have a monumental task of keeping Valencia safe from relegation. Valencia are currently on a five match losing streak in all competitions, including four in a row in the league. 

They have only one league win in its last 13 matches in all competition and their last win came against Real Betis in November, before the World Cup. The team last week lost at home to Athletic Bilbao 2-1 and the fans protested against club owners. Several hundred Valencia fans rallied outside Mestalla Stadium in protest against Singaporean businessman Peter Lim, who they blame for selling off Valencia’s best players every season. Several fans held up signs saying “Lim Go Home.” Valencia’s next league match is against 19th-place Getafe on Monday.

Valencia said in a statement that Baraja “knows the idiosyncrasies of the club and returns home to contribute with his professionalism and commitment as a coach after forging his legendary figure in the 2000s.”

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