Valencia hires former player Rubén Baraja to replace Gattuso
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) — Struggling Spanish soccer club Valencia has hired former player Rubén Baraja as coach to replace Gennaro Gattuso and help the team avoid relegation. Baraja previously coached several second-division clubs in Spain. He arrives with Valencia sitting in the relegation zone after 21 matches. Gattuso left last month after a series of poor results. Interim coach Voro González had been in charge until now. Gattuso arrived in June on a two-year contract. The Italian coach left with the team in 14th place. Baraja helped Valencia win Spanish league titles in 2002 and 2004 as a player.