Villarreal promotes coach Calleja to first-team duties

Following Fran Escriba's sacking earlier on Monday, Villarreal has appointed Javi Calleja as head coach after a spell at Villarreal B.

Villarreal has appointed Javi Calleja as its new head coach following the sacking of Fran Escriba .

Calleja had been the coach of Villarreal B, but he has now been promoted to the first team, who he will lead for a first training session on Monday.

The 39-year-old played for the Yellow Submarine as a midfielder for seven years, departing after the 2005-06 season in which the club reached the semifinals of the Champions League.

Having lost 4-0 at Getafe in Escriba's final game in charge to drop to 14th in La-Liga, Villarreal's next match is a Europa League clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel on Thursday.

The club has confirmed that it will soon announce a new Villarreal B coach.