Granada C.F have sacked manager Robert Moreno after a 3-1 defeat to Valencia on Saturday evening.
The decision was officially announced just hours after the match, with a short statement on the website thanking Moreno for his dedication and work.
He leaves Granada just outside the relegation zone, with a three point gap to Alaves in 18th. Rumours had swirled about Moreno’s future early in the season, but Granada turned a sinking ship around to degree. Since the turn of the year however, Moreno has failed to secure results. In recent weeks, the prospect of his sacking had become an open secret, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Captain German Sanchez had remarked that the players supported the manager after the defeat to Valencia.
“We are all with the manager,” asserted Sanchez. “When we lose, we lose together, the whole team. I think the manager is doing a good job.”
Clearly, the Granada ownership saw things differently. After just five wins all season and six defeats in their last seven, the writing was on the wall to a degree. A shock Copa del Rey exit to lower league side Mancha Real didn’t help matters.
For Moreno himself, this will be a further blow in what has been a tricky start to elite management. After taking over the Spanish national team job and being sacked just five months later for the returning Luis Enrique.
In France, he was appointed Monaco manager mid-season, but a 9th place finish saw him relieved of his duties again. Ruben Torrecilla has taken charge of the side on an interim basis, with Albert Celades reportedly best-placed for the job – according to Mundo Deportivo.
