La Liga: Sevilla sack coach Matias Almeyda following home defeat to Valencia

Madrid, March 23 (IANS) Sevilla sacked coach Matias Almeyda on Monday after Saturday's home defeat to Valencia in La Liga left the club 15th in the table and just three points above the relegation zone. The former player departs after 32 matches in charge, having overseen eight wins, seven draws, and 14 defeats in La Liga.

"Matias Almeyda has stopped being Sevilla's coach. We are grateful for his efforts and wish him the best in his future professional challenges," the club said on its official website. He is the eighth manager that Sevilla have sacked in the last four years.

Almeyda admitted on Saturday that losing his job was "a possibility" after another poor performance.

Sevilla are the latest in a long line of coaches to pass through the club since Julen Lopetegui was sacked in October 2022, reports Xinhua.

Almeyda arrived last summer and had to deal with boardroom conflict and spending limits in difficult circumstances, with the team struggling for firepower in attack and creativity in midfield.

Former Alaves coach Luis Garcia Plaza is among the favourites to replace Almeyda, but whoever takes over faces a difficult end to the season, with a trip to Oviedo and a home game against Atletico Madrid coming up after the international break.

Also in contention is Getafe manager Jose Bordalas. Whether he will leave his current position is debatable, but many Sevilla board members have been favourably disposed towards him since last year.

Last summer, Sevilla were heavily linked to Jose Bordalas, with the Getafe manager supposedly keen to take over at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Bordalas offered to take over, but the Sevilla board ended up rejecting the idea, feeling that he was ‘an uncomfortable fit’ at the club. At the time, it was reported that Sporting Director Antonio Cordon was keen to bring in a different style of coach, in this case, Almeyda.

He joined Sevilla after a spell at Greek side AEK Athens. After a positive start, Sevilla have struggled more in the second half of the season. On top of that, Almeyda is currently serving a seven-game ban after confronting an official, meaning he has not been on the touchline since mid-February.

--IANS

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