Madrid, April 7 (IANS): Former FC Barcelona defender Sergi Barjuan has been named the new coach of La Liga strugglers Almeria.

Sergi replaces Juan Ignacio Martinez, who was sacked on Sunday in the wake of his side's 1-4 home defeat to fellow strugglers Levante, reports Xinhua.

The 43-year-old, who played for Spain on 56 occasions, has agreed to take charge of the club, which is currently in the relegation zone, until the end of the season.

Sergi has experience of coaching in the Barcelona youth system and was the coach of Recreativo Huelva in 2002-04, taking the cash-strapped second division side to a 13th place finish in his first season and 8th place last season.

Sergi becomes Almeria's third coach of the campaign given that Juan Ignacio Martinez only took charge of the club in the fifteenth week of competition after Francisco Rodriguez was sacked for only leading the club to 2 wins in the first 14 games of the campaign.

Sergi will make his debut as Almeria coach in the Camp Nou Stadium against FC Barcelona, the club where he spent nearly all his playing career.