170 matches in Seville, a Europa League at stake, Julen Lopetegui's record has not been forgotten by many supporters who applauded him despite the very complicated situation of the Andalusian club.
Some consider management to be primarily responsible for the current slump.
Since the beginning of the week, an insistent rumor has reported advanced negotiations with a certain Jorge Sampaoli, free since leaving OM, and passed through the club in 2016-2017 before dropping everything to respond to the sirens of the selection. Argentina.
Still, for Julen Lopetegui, the defeat in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, Wednesday at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, will have been one too many (1-4).
In the Champions League, Sevilla are 3rd in Group G, with just one point and two defeats, while in the league, the club have sunk to 17th place in La Liga after a series of poor results.
A 2-0 home loss to Atlético Madrid last Saturday had all but sealed their fate.
“Sevilla FC have sacked Julen Lopetegui as first-team coach after Wednesday's game against Borussia Dortmund,” the Andalusian club wrote in a statement released minutes after the final whistle.
"Lopetegui closes a period of success with three magnificent campaigns in which the objectives were more than achieved and a fourth season in which, however, the results did not follow, Sevilla FC taking only five points from a possibility of 21 in La Liga”, adds the club, underlining “the professionalism and the good work of the Basque coach”.
"Sadness and Pain"
Lopetegui, 56, former Spain coach, arrived in Seville in 2019 after a few months at the helm of Real Madrid in 2018. He was playing his 170th match in all competitions with the Andalusian club on Wednesday.
This makes him the fifth manager to have played the most official matches in the club's history, after Joaquín Caparrós, Unai Emery, Manolo Cardo and Ramón Encinas.
His record is 89 wins, 45 draws and 36 losses, according to data provided by Sevilla to accompany the farewell text to his now ex-coach.
This dismissal is not a surprise for Lopetegui.
On Wednesday, he announced his departure on Spanish television, even before the arrival of the club press release.
"I am grateful to all of Sevilla, to their fans, to the players who have given me three wonderful seasons," he told Movistar.
“(I feel) sadness and pain to leave a team that I love very much and that will remain, without a doubt, in my heart.
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