Benito Joanet dies

Benito Joanet, a historian of the Spanish soccer bench, has passed away this Sunday. At 84 years old, the former coach of Deportivo, Hercules, Tenerife, Mallorca or Cádiz had suffered a stroke two weeks ago and the coronavirus has ended up precipitating his death, as explained by the newspaper Información de Alicante. Joanet, a native of Esplugas de Llobregat (16-9-1935), made his debut as a goalkeeper in the First Division with Espanyol in 1960. Later he went through Europe, Zaragoza and came to play for Deportivo and Sabadell until his retirement as a footballer.

Precisely he started on the benches in Depor, as an assistant to Arsenio Iglesias whom he accompanied in Hercules, where he came to occupy the position of first coach. Later he took charge of Castellón, Cádiz, Espanyol, Tenerife, Mallorca, Salamanca and Antequerano. Later it became part of Hercules with different functions. Precisely the Alicante club has issued a statement regretting his death, as have the other clubs where he passed in tribute to a very beloved figure in Spanish football.