Javier Calleja named as new coach of Alaves

MADRID - La Liga strugglers Deportivo Alaves have named Javier Calleja as the replacement for Abelardo Fernandez who was sacked by the club on Monday.

Calleja is the third coach for the team that is currently bottom of La Liga with just 23 points from 29 games this season and the former Villarreal boss has signed a contract until the end of the current season.

Abelardo was sacked after a dreadful run, which saw him take just five points from a possible 33 after he was named as the replacement for Pablo Machin at the start of January.

Calleja comes back into the game after somewhat harshly being sacked by Villarreal at the end of last season despite guiding them to a place in this season's Europa League. His first game in charge of his new club is a Basque derby away to Athletic Club Bilbao next Saturday.