Javier Garcés Appointed To Real Zaragoza Academy

Javier Garcés has taken charge of Real Zaragoza's youth academy, according to a May 20 report by Heraldo de Aragón. The move puts the Zaragoza-born coach in charge of a department the club's local media have described as central to player development and squad planning. Garcés replaces Ramón Lozano, whose departure from the role had been reported earlier this year. Former Real Zaragoza player Javi Ros will work alongside him as assistant, Heraldo reported. ### Who is Javier Garcés inside Real Zaragoza's structure? Javier Garcés was serving as coach of Real Zaragoza's División de Honor youth side before this appointment, according to reporting in April by Heraldo de Aragón and Sport Aragón. Those reports said the club had turned to Garcés after exploring other options for the academy leadership role. (heraldo.es) Sport data site La Preferente lists Garcés as Javier Garcés Pérez, born in Zaragoza on August 7, 1967, and identifies him as a coach tied to Real Zaragoza's youth structure. That background helps explain why the club moved internally rather than bringing in an outside academy director. ### Why was the academy post open in the first place? (heraldo.es) Ramón Lozano's exit had been unfolding for months before Garcés' appointment. Aragón Deporte reported in February that Real Zaragoza had ended its contractual relationship with Lozano, who had held the academy director role since 2016. Sport Aragón also reported that Lozano's departure followed a prolonged period of tension. (lapreferente.com) Heraldo de Aragón reported on April 20 that Lozano's January departure had left the academy leadership vacant. The same report said the job had first been offered to Ismael Arilla, who could not separate from Deportivo de La Coruña, leading Zaragoza to present Garcés instead. (cartv.es) ### Where does Javi Ros fit in? Javi Ros will serve as Garcés' assistant in the new academy structure, according to Heraldo's May 20 report. The report did not detail the full division of responsibilities, but it identified Ros as part of the incoming setup around Garcés. (heraldo.es) Ros is a recognizable figure for Zaragoza supporters because of his playing career with the club. His inclusion gives the academy leadership team a former first-team player with direct ties to the institution, according to Heraldo's account of the appointment. (heraldo.es) ### Why has this role drawn so much attention in Zaragoza? Heraldo de Aragón described the academy director's job as "de alta trascendencia" for Real Zaragoza, linking it to the club's sporting base and its economics through player development and sales. That language reflects how academy output has been treated in local coverage of Zaragoza's planning. (heraldo.es) Sport Aragón wrote in April that sporting executive Lalo Arantegui viewed the post as essential to his strategy and considered Garcés a suitable fit for the role. That assessment was attributed to the outlet's reporting at the time, before the appointment was finalized. (heraldo.es) ### What comes next after Garcés' appointment? Real Zaragoza's official news page continued publishing academy and first-team updates this week, though the club websites accessible in search results did not provide a directly viewable appointment release. That means the next concrete signs of the change are likely to come through staff appearances, academy planning decisions and club communications around the youth setup. (sportaragon.com) The first public milestones to watch are Real Zaragoza academy announcements and any appearances by Garcés or Ros in club media. As of May 21, the confirmed facts available in local reporting are that Garcés has taken over the academy and Ros will assist him. (heraldo.es) (realzaragoza.com)