Former Orlando Pirates coach Sergio Almenara has rejoined Jose Riveiro at AIK in Sweden after the duo had a successful stint with the Soweto giants in the Betway Premiership.
Riveiro has reunited with Almenara to continue their fruitful working relationship, having gained popularity as head coach and assistant coach at Pirates, respectively.
The Spanish mentor – Riveiro took over the reins at the Swedish giants, AIK, in January 2026 after parting ways with Al Ahly following a run of inconsistent performances. Riveiro spent less than six months at the Egyptian Premier League side after arriving in May 2025.
Riveiro joined Al Ahly after leaving the Buccaneers before the expiry of his contract, having spent three seasons at the club. The highly rated mentor had a successful stint with Pirates, winning three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cup titles.
When Riveiro arrived at Pirates, he roped in Almenara as his assistant coach to steer the ship and bring back the glory days at the club. But the 45-year-old coach, Almenara, left Pirates in 2024, before Riveiro followed him out the door a year later.
JOSE RIVEIRO AND SERGIO ALMENARA REUNITE IN SWEDEN
Riveiro has once again roped in Almenara in his technical team to lead AIK in their quest to compete for trophies. Before their reunion, Almenara served as an assistant coach at FC Copenhagen.
“AIK Football has reached an agreement with the Spanish coach Sergio Almenara Crispín for a contract as assistant coach to the club’s head coach José Riveiro. The agreement is valid from April 1, 2026, and is signed through the 2028 season,” AIK said on their website on Friday.
Meanwhile, AIK Football’s Head of Recruitment, Miika Takkula, said: “We are very happy to be able to welcome Sergio as part of AIK’s coaching staff. His skills and personality are an excellent addition to the current staff. Sergio’s specialised skills in individual player development and set pieces will add significant value to our business.”
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