Aston Villa have confirmed a shake-up of Unai Emery's back-room team, with two members departing at the end of the club's most successful season in recent history. Assistant coach Pako Ayestaran and individual performance coach Antonio Rodríguez Savaria, known as Rodri, will leave Villa Park having arrived with Emery when he was appointed in 2022.
Departing staff and their contributions
Sixty-three-year-old Ayestarán previously worked with Rafael Benitez at Liverpool and Valencia before embarking on an eight-year managerial career prior to his arrival at Villa. During his time under Emery, he took charge of the team while his boss served a touchline ban in the 1-1 draw with West Ham in January 2025. Rodri had a long playing career and was a manager in Spain and latterly Andorra before teaming up at Villa.
New appointment: José María Sanz
Spanish coach José María Sanz has joined the club, subject to visa approval. Villa released a statement which said: “Sanz is a well-respected coach with over 20 years of experience with the likes of Valencia, Sheffield United and Osasuna. Both Pako and Rodri will always remain hugely popular at Aston Villa and everyone at the club would like to thank them for their service as well as wishing them all the very best for the future.” Sanz, known as Chema and aged 56, worked with Slavisa Jokanovic at Bramall Lane and was assistant at Osasuna last season.
Club's gratitude and future outlook
The club expressed gratitude for the departing coaches' contributions, noting their popularity among fans. The reshuffle comes as Villa look to build on their recent success under Emery, who has guided the team to European qualification and a strong league finish.
