The Catalan side were eliminated by opponents from Spain’s fourth tier after a chaotic first-round tie at Las Llanas on Tuesday. The defeat came amid a league run that had left Espanyol in the relegation zone, with only one point from their previous five LaLiga matches.
González had already been under pressure following the weekend loss to Racing Santander. The cup exit proved decisive, with Espanyol confirming his departure shortly after the match.
The club thanked the Galician coach for his work, commitment and professionalism, bringing an end to an association that had lasted more than three seasons and included 107 official matches in charge of the first team.
González took over in March 2024 and guided Espanyol to promotion to LaLiga that year. He then kept the club in the top flight across the following two seasons, meeting the sporting objectives set during his tenure.
However, the team’s recent form and another damaging cup elimination left his position increasingly difficult to defend. Sestao’s victory also continued a troubling pattern: Espanyol had previously been knocked out of the competition by fourth-tier opponents Barbastro and Atlético Baleares in their last two campaigns.
A defeat that ended González’s tenure
Espanyol began the match well, taking the lead through Marcos Fernández’s penalty in the sixth minute. Sestao responded through Adri Carrión before Andoni Ugarte put the hosts ahead before half-time.
Roberto Fernández equalised from the spot in stoppage time to force extra time, but the drama continued. Espanyol’s Moscardó scored in the 96th minute, only for Ander Laka to level again two minutes later. Jon Rojo then scored in the 121st minute to complete Sestao’s 4-3 win.
González was devastated by the result and made no attempt to hide his feelings afterwards.
“I’m absolutely gutted. It is one of the worst days of my life,” he said in his post-match press conference.
Asked whether he believed it had been his final match in charge, he replied that he was not thinking about his future in that moment. He admitted it was possible that he had managed his last game, but said he needed time to reflect and did not know what would happen overnight or the following morning.
His disappointment was tied to his affection for the club and his belief that the work of the previous years deserved a better ending.
“I feel terrible because I love this club so much. I think we have done a great job during this time, achieving our objectives, and to finish with a match like this hurts me deeply,” González said. “It is very painful because it does not feel fair, given everything that has been done and the work that has gone into it. It is a real shame.”
He also accepted responsibility for the performance, describing himself as devastated and accountable for everything that had happened.
The coach was particularly critical of the goals conceded, saying Espanyol had effectively gifted Sestao four goals and that the defensive mistakes were unacceptable at professional level. His remarks reflected a team struggling to find consistency at a time when results had become increasingly urgent.
The club’s statement recognised González’s journey through the Spanish football pyramid and his role in returning Espanyol to the top division. It also noted that he had reached 100 official matches in charge in September, becoming the ninth coach in the club’s history to reach that milestone.
His departure leaves Espanyol needing to appoint a successor quickly, with a league fixture against Villarreal approaching and the team still fighting to climb out of the relegation places.