Panathinaikos appoint Spanish coach Fabri

Panathinaikos FC have installed Fabriciano González Penelas, aka Fabri, as their new head coach following yesterday's decision to relieve Juan Ramón Rocha of his duties.

The 57-year-old Fabri takes charge of a Panathinaikos side lying ninth in the Greek Super League, 22 points behind leaders Olympiacos FC, and becomes the Athens team's third coaching appointment of the campaign after Rocha and his predecessor Jesualdo Ferreira. Rocha, 58, has returned to his original job with the Panathinaikos Under-20s in the wake of Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Levadiakos FC. The Argentinian had stepped up to the top job following Ferreira's sacking in mid-November.

For Fabri, the Panathinaikos post is a first experience of Greek football, with the Spaniard having recently ended a brief four-month stint at the helm of second-division Real Racing Club. A veteran of 27 Spanish and Portuguese clubs during a 26-year coaching career, he made his Primera División debut back in 1994 with CD Logroñés. Perhaps his major achievement was leading Granada CF to successive promotions, from the third to the top flight in 2011.

Fabri's assistant at Panathinaikos will be 42-year-old Brazilian Ferreira King, a former Ionikos FC defender. The duo's new charges have won just five out of 16 Super League games this term, and exited the UEFA Champions League at the play-off hurdle and the UEFA Europa League after the group stage. "Panathinaikos are turning over a new page today," a club statement read.