Juan Diaz leaves Rodina as head coach after nine league rounds

Juan Diaz has left his post as head coach of Rodina, the club announced on its Telegram channel. It is the first managerial departure of the Russian Premier League season.

Rodina sit 15th, second from bottom, with 5 points from 9 rounds. The side have lost 8 of their 12 matches in all competitions this season, with two wins and two draws. Artem Maksimenko has scored 7 times and Ivan Timoshenko 6, but the results have not followed.

Diaz, 48, took charge in September 2025. He led the club to the First League title last season and promotion to the top flight. He had previously worked in the Sevilla system.

Barseg Kirakosyan will act as interim head coach, with Alexander Dimidko and Egor Novosadov as his assistants. The club's statement thanked Diaz and his staff "for their dedication, emotions and sincerity" and wished him success in his career.

Rodina general director Alexander Pogonin said: "Working with Juan Diaz was built on mutual trust and respect. But even with such a starting point, every story has its end. We talked to Juan and together came to the conclusion that the time had come to part ways. Rodina is grateful to Juan for his work, for his ability to energise people and for the historic achievements we reached shoulder to shoulder." The club published the quotation.

Commentator Konstantin Genich reacted on his Telegram channel. "Genuinely sorry. It seems to me that Diaz is a good coach and could quite well have turned the situation around. But now the most interesting thing is who comes in instead… What are the options?" he wrote.

Rodina play home games at Arena Khimki. If the interim appointment turns into a longer one, the club may be judged on how quickly Kirakosyan can pull them clear of the relegation places.