VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Spanish club Valencia fired coach Albert Celades on Monday following poor results.
The announcement came a day after a 2-0 loss at Villarreal, the team's third Spanish league defeat following the pandemic break.
The result left Valencia in eighth place, eight points from fourth-placed Sevilla in the final qualification spot for the Champions League. Valencia was five points from sixth-placed Villarreal in the final Europa League spot.
Valencia won only one of its five games after the coronavirus break. It won 15 of the 41 matches it played under Celades in all competitions, losing 14 and drawing 12. He led the team to the round of 16 of the Champions League for the first time after seven years, being eliminated by Atalanta.
Interim coach Voro González will stay in charge until the end of the season.
Two other Spanish league coaches were fired after the pandemic break: Real Betis' Rubi and Espanyol's Abelardo Fernández.
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