Sevilla sack Matías Almeyda after Valencia defeat | OneFootball

Sevilla have sacked Matías Almeyda after Saturday’s limp home defeat to Valencia, leaving the side 15th and only three points above the relegation places.

El Periódico Mediterráneo reports that the defeat and poor display at the Sánchez-Pizjuán prompted the board to change course. The Argentine leaves after 32 games in charge, with eight wins, seven draws and 14 defeats, and a Copa del Rey exit.

Nicknamed El Pelado, he arrived in early June with a reputation for reviving troubled sides after stints at River Plate, Banfield and AEK Athens, winning the Greek Super League, the club’s first since 2018. He signed until 2028 and took only seven points from the last 24.

Almeyda arrived with a hopeful, redemptive message after his 1996/97 spell as a Sevilla player ended in relegation. Pre-season optimism grew, fuelled by emotive, self-critical press conferences and a convincing win over Barcelona that had fans eyeing Europe.

Doubts grew as Sevilla struggled against lower-ranked rivals and whistles intensified, yet the coach was not initially targeted. A controversial red card against Alavés left him off the touchline for five matches, while defeats to Mallorca and Levante shrank the gap to the drop.

A point in El Gran Derbi briefly calmed debate about competitiveness, but the performance level remained low and Saturday’s loss delivered the verdict. The new coaching staff now have two weeks to plan the first of nine remaining finals, an away date at Oviedo that could shape the club’s future.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo