AEK Athens bring back coach Jimenez for 3rd term

ATHENS: Manolo Jimenez has returned to manage AEK Athens for a third time, the Greek Super League club announced Wednesday saying the Spaniard had signed a one-and-a-half-year contract. The deal has an option for another year if both sides agree. “The champion has returned home. The AEK family wishes Manolo good luck in his third term in the club and hoping to add another title like the previous two,” an AEK announced. The Spaniard first managed the club for the 2010-2011 season when he guided them to the Greek Cup. He returned to AEK in January 2017 and last season led them to their first league title in 24 years but lost the Greek Cup final to PAOK. Jimenez, 55, replaces Greek coach Marinos Ouzounidis who resigned on Monday with AEK third in the table, with 37 points from 19 games. They are 14 points behind leaders PAOK Thessaloniki. Jimenez will take charge for the first time on Thursday when AEK face Atromitos Athens in the first leg of the Greek Cup quarter-finals.