Victor Sánchez named new Rijeka head coach

HNK Rijeka have appointed Victor Sánchez as their new head coach on a two-year contract, the club announced Tuesday. He succeeds Radomir Đalović.

“Thank you to Rijeka for the trust shown. This is a new chapter in my coaching career that I am very much looking forward to,” Sánchez said after signing. “I recognized in Rijeka a healthy project and an opportunity to achieve great things together. The club has already proven its worth with excellent results, and I will do everything to continue on that path. I can’t wait to start working,” said Sanchez at a press conference in Rijeka on Wednesday.

Sánchez arrives in Rijeka with extensive experience as both a player and coach. He began his career at Real Madrid, making 80 appearances and winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League. He was also part of Spain’s U21 squad that captured the European Championship.

In 1998, he joined Racing Santander before moving to Deportivo La Coruña a year later, where he became a club legend. Over seven seasons, Sánchez made 286 appearances and scored 44 goals, helping Deportivo to a league title and Copa del Rey triumph. He later played for Panathinaikos and Elche before retiring in 2009.

Transitioning into coaching, Sánchez worked as an assistant at Getafe, Sevilla, and Olympiacos, later taking head coach roles at Deportivo La Coruña, Olympiacos, Real Betis, Málaga, and Cartagena. Rijeka fans will remember him from last season’s Conference League playoffs, when his Olimpija Ljubljana side beat Rijeka 5–0 in Slovenia.