KAZAN, January 14. /TASS/. Russian premier league football club Rubin Kazan has signed Spain’s Franc Artiga as the club’s new head coach, Rubin FC’s press office said in a statement on Wednesday.

The contract runs through the summer of 2027.

On January 13, the football club announced that it had parted ways with its previous head coach Rashid Rakhimov.

"Rubin is a great club with the highest expectations. I know this club, the republic, and the city of Kazan well. I visited here 12 years ago when I coached the Barcelona youth team at the Gilmullin Memorial Tournament. It's incredible to return here as head coach after all this time," the club’s press office quoted Artiga as saying in the statement.

"The team has a training camp and a significant amount of work ahead, so it is important to conduct this preparation well in order to be well prepared for the second half of the season. All the team's and the club's work is done first and foremost for the fans. We look forward to seeing you in the stands and counting on your support," he added.

Artiga, 49, previously managed Angolan club Atletico Petroleos de Luanda since June 2025. He left the club on January 10. From June 2024 to April 2025, the Spaniard coached Russian professional football club Khimki. He also previously served as head coach for Russian professional football clubs Rodina and Rodina-2. Between 2010 and 2021, the Spaniard worked at La Masia, the youth academy of FC Barcelona, also managing the club's under-19 squad in the 2019-2020 UEFA Youth League.

Rubin FC is currently 7th with 23 points after 18 rounds of the 2025/2026 season of Russian Premier League championship.