Ruben Baraja has been named the manager of under-performing La Liga team Valencia after Gennaro Gattuso’s departure.
In fewer than nine years, the team has had 10 permanent managers, including the 47-year-old. Having been in charge for just seven months, Gennaro Gattuso resigned last month.
Between 2000 and 2010, Baraja participated in 364 matches for Valencia and earned 43 Spain caps.
In a statement, Valencia said: “‘Pipo’, one of the most decorated and illustrious players in the history of Valencia CF, 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 by helping to win two La Liga titles, a Uefa Cup, a European Super Cup and a Copa del Rey.”
“In the coming days he will take charge of the team at the Ciutat Esportiva de Paterna and his coaching staff will include another Valencia CF legend, Carlos Marchena.”
Elche, Rayo Vallecano, Sporting Gijon, Tenerife, and Real Zaragoza are among the clubs Baraja has managed.
Following Gattuso’s resignation, Voro Gonzalez, who was serving as interim manager for the eighth time, lost all three of his matches in charge.
Ruben Baraja
Spanish footballer Rubén Baraja Vegas was born on July 11, 1975. He is currently Valencia’s manager.
He was a complete central midfielder for Valencia over the course of a 17-year professional career, contributing significantly to five of the team’s major victories, including two La Liga titles. He had good offensive technique, offensive qualities, accurate passing, and goalscoring ability.
Baraja spent five years as a dependable member of the Spain national squad, participating in one World Cup and one European Championship while earning 43 caps.
Coaching Career
As a member of Atlético Madrid’s coaching staff under newly appointed manager Gregorio Manzano in June 2011, Baraja rejoined his previous squad.
He returned to Valencia’s primary club in the summer of 2013, first working with the youth team and subsequently the reserves.
On July 12, 2015, Baraja was chosen to lead Elche CF, a team that had just been demoted to the second division.
He resigned on June 6 of the next year after failing to reach a new agreement.
Ruben Baraja assumed control of Rayo Vallecano, a rival league team, on November 8, 2016.
He was dismissed on February 20, 2017, when they were one point above the relegation zone, after only three victories in 13 games.
On December 12th, 2017, Baraja was appointed to Sporting de Gijón.
He was given a four-game suspension and a €3,005 fine toward the end of the season for interfering with FC Barcelona B’s Sergi Palencia’s ability to take a throw-in; this included the first play-off match, in which eventual champions Valladolid defeated the Asturians 5-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
After Real Oviedo defeated Baraja in the Asturian derby on November 18, 2018, Baraja was fired, leaving the team in 14th place with just one win in their previous 11 games.
He was appointed coach of CD Tenerife in the same division in December of the following year. He managed to avoid relegation but left on July 20, 2020.
On August 20, 2020, Baraja took over as manager of Real Zaragoza in lieu of V. Fernández.
He was let go from his position on November 9 as a result of the season’s rocky beginning.
Why Did Gattuso Resign From Valencia?
According to Spanish media, Gattuso spoke with the club’s top management in January 2023 after becoming dissatisfied with the lack of transfer activity by the team.
Gattuso, a defensive midfielder who appeared 73 times for Italy, took charge of Sion in Switzerland for the first time in 2013.
He coached Napoli from December 2019 to May 2021 after managing his former team AC Milan for two seasons from 2015 to 2017. The Coppa Italia in 2020 will be his lone championship as a manager.
After a disagreement over the team’s transfer policy, he agreed to join Fiorentina in the summer of 2021 but left before his contract could begin.
In June 2022, Gattuso took over as Valencia’s manager, succeeding Jose Bordalas, who had guided the team to the Copa del Rey final and a ninth-place finish.
