Iván Ania returns to Tenerife as Córdoba coach: 25 years on

Iván Ania, Córdoba CF head coach, faces Tenerife this Monday at El Arcángel, nearly 25 years after signing for around €2.5m in September 2001. Back then he arrived at 23 as one of the big bets for a Tenerife side freshly promoted.

As Sport recalls, on 19 September 2001 he said he had come “to the place he wanted” and addressed the price: “I’m the most expensive signing in recent seasons”, while insisting he would “add to the team”.

Now the story arrives from the bench: Ania took over at El Arcángel in summer 2023 and is in his fourth straight season. He has 135 official matches and, if he plays out the remaining 35 league rounds, could reach 170, just five behind Pepe Escalante’s record.

A clash with context

Córdoba come in under pressure: they started 2026-27 with five defeats in seven games, and the match is another chance to correct course after sitting in the drop zone.

From a Camp Nou debut to the dugout

As a player, he debuted at Camp Nou, coming off the bench in a 2-0 loss to Carles Rexach’s Barça, and he scored against Rayo Vallecano and Osasuna. That first season ended with 28 appearances (22 starts) and four goals. In his second campaign he was left out after clashing with David Amaral, receiving a €3,000 fine, and later was loaned to Rayo Vallecano.