La Liga: Jose Luis Mendilibar replaces Jorge Sampaoli as Sevilla FC coach

Madrid, March 23 (IANS) Sevilla FC have named Jose Luis Mendilibar as their new coach until the end of the season, replacing Jorge Sampaoli in the dugout at the Ramon Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium.

The Argentine, who only took over from Julen Lopetegui back in October 2022, was relieved of his duties on Monday morning with the Andalusians sitting in 14th in La Liga, just two points clear of the relegation zone with 12 matches left to play.

Mendilibar is a well-known name in La Liga, having coached SD Eibar to great success for six seasons (2015-2021) during their seven-season stay in Spain's top flight and to an all-time high finish of 9th in 2017/18 -- the first and only season the club finished ahead of all other Basque sides in Spain's football standings.

He won the Miguel Munoz Trophy for the best manager in La Liga in 2017, and most recently coached fellow Basque side Deportivo Alavés in LaLiga SmartBank.

He takes over a Sevilla FC side in huge need of a positive boost between now and the end of the season, having won just once in their last five matches. His first match in charge will be an Andalusian derby, a short trip south to face fellow relegation battlers Cádiz CF on Saturday (April 1).

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