The coach of the ‘rojillo’ team is one game away from both the first title of his career and the team’s history.
Pamplona is living a dream this season. Osasuna’s progress in the league has been flawless, sitting in a solid position, never slipping into trouble, and even capable of eyeing a place in European competition. Yet the pinnacle arrives in the Copa del Rey. This Saturday, they stand one match away from lifting the trophy against Real Madrid. All these achievements stem from one idea and one man: Jagoba Arrasate. Viewers can subscribe to DAZN from €18.99 per month to watch La Liga 2022-2023 here.
The 45-year-old Biscayan faces a monumental challenge this Saturday in his coaching career and for the rojillos: neither he nor his squad has ever raised a trophy to the skies. The task on the table is daunting, as Real Madrid’s experience and pedigree form a stern gauge of the ambitions of a man who took the reins in Pamplona from the second division and now stands on the threshold of Copa del Rey glory.
Who is Jagoba Arrasate, Osasuna’s coach: which teams has he led and how many titles has he won?
Arrasate took charge of the club on 20 June 2018, marking nearly five years on the bench. In his first season he earned promotion to the first division as champions of the second tier, and since then he has not only consolidated the team in the top flight but also steered it to be one win away from a major trophy.
His career stands as a testament that progress can come from the ground up, through hard work and sacrifice. The first team he managed was Berriatuko FT, a side from the Vizcaya regional league in 2007-2008. In the following two seasons he stepped up to the Third Division with CD Elgoibar, and in 2010 he secured his first significant breakthrough.
He then moved to Real Sociedad, joining the club’s academy and working his way through various age groups and development squads until he earned a place in the senior coaching staff under Philippe Montanier in the 2012-2013 season, a period when the club qualified for European competition.
The French coach chose not to continue with the club, and the txuri urdines entrusted Arrasate with the role of head coach during a season when the team competed in the top European league, a milestone already reflected in Jagoba’s résumé. However, the campaign did not progress beyond the group stage and the following year the team fell into the Europa League playoff rounds, leading to his dismissal.
In 2015, he signed for Numancia in the second division, and in his third season there he guided the Sorianos to playoff finals for promotion to the top tier, though they were defeated by Real Valladolid. Nevertheless, his strong performances at Los Pajaritos drew Osasuna’s attention, and five years later the outcome has been a story of notable success.
Note: The information above recounts Arrasate’s professional journey and the arc of his career with Osasuna up to the present context of the Copa del Rey final.