Alaves name Abelardo as third coach this season

Deportivo Alaves on Friday named Abelardo Fernandez as their third coach of the football season.

Abelardo, a former Spain international defender, who played for Sporting Gijon, FC Barcelona and Alaves, replaces Gianni de Biassi, who was sacked on Monday following a 2-1 home defeat to Eibar, reports Xinhua news agency.

De Biassi had been appointed after Luis Zubeldia, who began the season in the Alaves dugout, lost his job after starting the season with four straight defeats.

Abelardo spent just over two years as coach at Sporting, guiding them to the Primera Liga and avoiding relegation in his first game in charge, but was sacked last season as the club struggled and was eventually relegated again.

He has signed a contract until the end of the campaign, with the clear aim of avoiding relegation for the Vitoria-based club, which is currently bottom of the Liga Santander with just 6 points from 13 matches this season.

Alaves' next league game is a difficult trip to face Girona on Monday night.

--IANS

sam/bg