Ibai Gómez chosen as Real Zaragoza coach

Real Zaragoza has chosen Ibai Gómez as its preferred coach for next season, local media reported on May 13, as the club battles to avoid relegation from Spain’s second tier. El Periódico de Aragón reported that Zaragoza had contacted the Basque coach and offered him the role, while Heraldo de Aragón said three days earlier that Gómez was the club’s preferred option if it dropped into Primera RFEF. (elperiodicodearagon.com) (realzaragoza.com) The reports come with Zaragoza in 21st place in LaLiga Hypermotion on 35 points from 39 matches, according to the club’s official standings page. The bottom four teams are in the relegation places, and Zaragoza have three matches remaining in the regular season. (realsporting.com) Ibai Gómez, 36, is a former Athletic Bilbao winger who has moved quickly into coaching since ending his playing career. His name has circulated in Spanish football over the past year after early senior jobs and a reputation for front-foot football. ### Why is Zaragoza moving on a coach before its division is settled? (elperiodicodearagon.com) May 13 reporting from El Periódico de Aragón said Zaragoza had already settled on Gómez as its choice, even though the club’s league status is not yet mathematically resolved. Heraldo’s May 10 report framed the same move as a plan for the event of relegation to Primera RFEF. (realzaragoza.com) The timing reflects Zaragoza’s position with only three fixtures left. The club hosts Sporting on May 17, visits Las Palmas on May 24 and closes the season at home to Málaga on May 31, according to LaLiga’s schedule page. (arenasclub.com) ### Who is Ibai Gómez as a coach, not as a former player? Arenas Club announced Gómez in 2024 as first-team coach on a two-season deal, describing it as his first full-time senior coaching assignment after work with Santutxu’s youth side. The club said he was born in Santutxu in 1989 and highlighted his 226 appearances in Spain’s top division as a player. (elperiodicodearagon.com) FC Andorra presented Gómez in July 2025 as head coach for the 2025-26 season and quoted him saying, “I don’t come to experiment, I come to compete.” In that presentation, Gómez said he wanted an intense team that pressed high and recovered the ball quickly, while director general Jaume Nogués said Andorra had previously tried to hire him in December. (laliga.com) Those appointments help explain why Zaragoza’s interest has drawn attention beyond a single local rumor. Gómez has already been trusted by clubs willing to hand a young coach a senior project. (arenasclub.com) ### What makes Zaragoza’s situation so urgent? Real Zaragoza are one of Spain’s historic clubs, but the immediate fact is the table. The club sits 21st, ahead of only Cultural Leonesa, and trails safety by four points because Cádiz occupy 18th place with 39. The next match is at Ibercaja Estadio against Sporting on May 17. (mundodeportivo.com) Real Sporting’s official match page lists the fixture as LaLiga Hypermotion round 40. ### Has Zaragoza confirmed Gómez publicly? Real Zaragoza’s official website had not published an announcement naming Gómez as coach at the time of writing. (mundodeportivo.com) The current public information comes from local media reports and from the club’s own standings and schedule pages. That leaves the sequence straightforward. Zaragoza still have Sporting on May 17, Las Palmas on May 24 and Málaga on May 31 on the league calendar, while any formal coaching appointment would be expected through the club’s official channels. (realzaragoza.com) (laliga.com) (realzaragoza.com) (realsporting.com)