Madrid, March 21 (IANS) La Liga strugglers Sevilla have named experienced coach Jose Luis Mendilibar as the replacement for Jorge Sampaoli, who was sacked earlier on Tuesday.
The 62-year-old has an agreed a contract until the end of the current season, with the clear aim of helping Sevilla avoid relegation.
Mendilibar has a long experience of coaching in Spain at clubs such as Valladolid, Osasuna, and Eibar, where he spent six seasons, and is known for his ability to get the best out of limited squads and above all tighten up their defensive organisation, reports Xinhua.
Last season saw him also have a 12-game spell at Alaves, but on this occasion, he was unable to stop the club’s side towards relegation to the second division.
He will make his Sevilla debut in a vital relegation duel away to Cadiz on April 1.
Sampaoli was sacked from his second spell in charge of the club earlier in the day, with the club explaining that the team had “not managed to get out of lowest positions in the table since his arrival.”
Bottom of the table Elche on Tuesday named Argentinean Sebastian Beccacece as their fourth coach of the season.
The side that is bottom of the table with just 13 points from 26 matches and which looks assured of relegation to the second division at the end of this campaign, has signed Beccanece on a contract until the end of June 2024, although given the fate of his predecessors in the post, whether he sees out his contract is very much open to debate.
His first match in charge will be against FC Barcelona after the international break.
–IANS
bsk
