Recently-appointed Villarreal coach Manuel Preciado has died at the age of 54 after a heart attack, the reports in local media said.
Preciado signed a contract to become Villarreal coach Tuesday and was to be officially welcomed to the club Friday.
"Manolo Preciado died in the early hours of Wednesday to Thursday from a heart attack after suffering from a virus for several days," said Spanish daily Marca.
Preciado's previous coaching job was at Sporting Gijon, where he was fired in January 2012 after a string of bad results as the team headed towards eventual relegation.
During six years with Gijon, Preciado led the team to promotion to the Primera Liga in 2008, while in April 2011 his team ended Jose Mourinho's nine-year unbeaten home record with a 1-0 win away at Real Madrid.
Preciado's other former clubs include Gimnastica, Racing Santander, Levante and Murcia.
Villarreal will play in the second-tier Liga Adelante next season after they were relegated following an 18th place finish in the Primera Liga in 2011-12.
