Valencia Club de Fútbol's new sporting director, Braulio Vázquez, has confirmed that Ernesto Valverde was never a realistic option for the club's managerial vacancy following Carlos Corberán's dismissal. The executive clarified the situation during his official presentation on Wednesday, stating that Valverde himself expressed a desire to take a break from football.
Vázquez shares a close friendship with the former Athletic Club manager. "I speak with him every week or every two weeks," the sporting director said. "He is my friend. Of course I talk to him". In one of those conversations, Valverde was clear about his immediate future. "Ernesto, are you going to keep coaching? You're crazy, I need to rest," the coach told him, as recounted by Vázquez. "For the moment he is not going to coach, so he could never be a real option because right now he will be taking photos".
The real option was Javier Aguirre
With Valverde unavailable, the club moved to appoint Javier Aguirre as the new head coach until the end of the season. The deal includes a clause to extend the contract to the 2027-28 campaign if the team qualifies for Europe. Aguirre signed with the team sitting in the penultimate position in La Liga, with just four points from seven matches.
The team's current situation is precarious. Valencia sits 19th with four points, from one win, one draw, and five defeats. Their last outing was a 2-3 home loss to Real Sociedad, a result that leaves the team with a run of one win and four losses in their last five fixtures.
The context of urgency
Aguirre's next challenge is an away trip to face 16th-placed Racing Santander after the international break. The club needs a quick turnaround in form to move away from the relegation places. With only four goals scored and thirteen conceded, defensive improvement is a clear priority.
The presentation of Braulio Vázquez as sporting director came shortly after Aguirre's appointment, completing a new sporting structure at a critical juncture for the club's future. The team now faces eleven matchdays to try and climb a table that sees them seventeen points behind leaders Barcelona.
More detail at Mundo Deportivo
