MADRID — Villarreal said Monday it reached a deal to hire coach Inigo Perez, who led fellow Spanish club Rayo Vallecano to the final of the Conference League this season.
Pérez is set to sign a three-year contract with Villarreal, which finished third in the Spanish league and will play in the Champions League for a second straight season.
Villarreal was eliminated in the league phase of the Champions League last season, its first in the top European club competition since it reached the semifinals in 2021-22.
It will be the first time Villarreal plays back-to-back seasons in the Champions League, AP reported.
The 38-year-old Prrez, a former midfielder who retired in 2022, will replace Marcelino, who announced late last season that he would not stay in charge of the team.
Perez’s Rayo lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the final of the third-tier Conference League.
Perez was an assistant at Rayo and took over the main job in 2024 after not being able to accompany then coach Andoni Iraola when he moved to Bournemouth in England because of work permit issues.
The new Villarreal coach will be officially introduced on Tuesday.
