March 22 – Spanish club Sevilla have dismissed their coach Jorge Sampaoli (pictured) following their 2-0 defeat to Getafe at the weekend. He will be succeeded by Jose Mendilibar.
The defeat left the club in 14th place, just two points above Valencia and in the relegation zone.
“Sevilla FC has terminated the contract with its coach, Jorge Sampaoli, after the team’s defeat in Getafe, which has once again placed them on the verge of relegation places,” said a club statement on Tuesday.
“The fact that the team has not managed to get out of the lowest positions in the table since his incorporation as coach and the image offered in the last matches of the team have led the club to make this decision, in search of a reaction in the twelve last days that remain to finish the league.”
“Sevilla FC thanks Sampaoli for the services he has provided and wishes him the best of luck in his future.”
Sampaoli took over from Julen Lopetegui, who managed just a single win in seven games, but under the Argentinean improvement, in the view of the club, was too limited with six wins from 19 matches.
Medilibar, who has previously managed Athletic Bilbao, Valladolid, Osasuna, Levante, Eibar and Alaves, has been tasked with preventing Sevilla from getting relegated for the first time since 2000. In Europe, they face Manchester United in the last eight of the Europa League, a competition the club traditionally excel in.
Sampaoli had spells at Olympique Marseille, Santos and Atletico Mineiro. He won international acclaim managing Chile from 2012 to 2016, but his stint at the helm of his native Argentina ended with a disastrous second-round exit at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734942067labto1734942067ofdlr1734942067owedi1734942067sni@i1734942067tnuk.1734942067ardni1734942067mas1734942067