Albert Riera has arrived in Germany following his surprise appointment at Eintracht Frankfurt.
The ex-Liverpool and Manchester City winger has replaced Dino Toppmoller in the dugout at Deutsche Bank Park on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
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Riera has been appointed on a deal until 2028 at Eintracht FrankfurtCredit: X formerly Twitter / @Eintracht
He takes over a side that are already out of Europe after finishing in 33rd spot in the Champions League standings with six defeats from eight matches.
Domestically, the Eagles sit eighth in the Bundesliga table with the club on course for their lowest position since finishing 11th in the 2021/22 campaign.
Frankfurt are without a league win since December 13 and are on a two-game losing streak.
And to make matters worse, they are already out of the DFB-Pokal following a second round penalty shootout defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
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It is hoped that Riera will be able to instil belief back into the club having impressed in the last 18 months managing Celje in Slovenia.
In what was his second spell at Celje, the 43-year-old Spaniard guided them to the Slovenian Cup last season.
He also won the Slovenian top-flight and Slovenian Cup with Olimpija in his first managerial job in the 2022/23 season.
In between his two stints at Celje, he was the head coach at then-Ligue 2 side Bordeaux, with the club relegated at the end of the 2023/24 term after being declared bankrupt.
He leaves Celje sitting pretty at the top of the table and now turns his attention to Frankfurt’s clash away at Union Berlin on Friday night.
No Spain, no gain
Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche failed to hide his excitement at Riera’s appointment, stating he was the standout candidate.
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Riera arrives in Germany with his side winless in their last six Bundesliga gamesCredit: Getty
He told the club’s website: “With Albert Riera, we deliberately chose a coach who stands for modern, intense, and attacking football.
“He has international experience, a clear playing philosophy, and an equally clear approach to his daily work with the team.
“Albert impressed us in our discussions with his depth of expertise and his excellent communication skills.
“We have been following his development for a long time and are therefore convinced that his abilities, both in the current situation and in the future, harmonise well with the requirements of Eintracht Frankfurt, and that he is also a great fit for the club and our team on a personal level.”
Riera, who was capped 15 times for Spain’s national team, arrives at Frankfurt boasting a wealth of experience playing at the top level.
A Copa del Rey winner with Mallorca, Riera got his first taste of English football with Manchester City after joining on loan in the 2006 winter transfer window.
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Riera spent two seasons at Liverpool between 2008-2010Credit: Getty
An £8million switch to Liverpool followed in 2008, where he stayed two seasons – chipping in with five goals from 56 games in all competitions.
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He then tested himself in Greece and Turkey at Olympiacos and Galatasaray respectively, winning the league title in both countries.
A third spell in England with Watford came about in 2014, before he retired in 2016 following a brief stint with Slovenian outfit FC Koper.