Julen Lopetegui: Sevilla sack manager after Champions League defeat
- Published
Sevilla were 3-0 down after 43 minutes at home to Borussia Dortmund, eventually losing 4-1
Julen Lopetegui has been sacked by Sevilla following Wednesday's Champions League defeat by Borussia Dortmund.
Lopetegui was appointed Sevilla boss in June 2019 and led the club to the Europa League title in 2020.
But the Spanish side have won just once this season and defeat to Dortmund was their sixth loss in 10 matches in all competitions.
The former Spain and Real Madid boss is one of the potential candidates to replace Bruno Lage at Wolves.
The 56-year-old spoke to the Premier League before taking the Spain job in the summer of 2016 and owners Fosun remain impressed by him.
Wolves sacked Lage last weekend after a 2-0 defeat at West Ham left the club in the Premier League relegation zone.
Despite the loss to Dortmund, Lopetegui received a standing ovation from the Sevilla fans as he left the field on Wednesday night.
He gave an interview to Spanish TV channel Movistar shortly before his sacking was officially announced by the club, stating he was grateful to "the whole of Sevilla".
"[I feel] sadness and pain for leaving a team that I love very much and which will, without a doubt, stay in my heart," Lopetegui said.
"I have already said goodbye to the players. It is not time to talk about being disrespected. I'm thankful for all that I have achieved in this club."
He leaves Sevilla in 17th place in the La Liga standings and just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Analysis
Mike Taylor, BBC Radio WM
Lopetegui has said that, in 2016, he and Wolves' then-prospective owners, Fosun, "worked hand in hand" as he was lined up to become manager.
Just as Fosun was completing the takeover, Lopetegui became Spain coach instead. Rather than work with Kenny Jackett, Fosun instead plumped for the altogether more colourful Walter Zenga. In terms of a gear change between the public styles of successive managers, that remains hard to beat.
If appointed, Lopetegui would find a rather different club from six years ago. Then, they were a middling Championship side - albeit a club revived by Jackett's remarkable clean-up job. After flirting with a quick return to the Premier League, they had settled back into the level of most of the previous 20 years.
Now, the new coach will inherit a talent-studded squad, but with obvious problems - limited in depth despite summer investment, and with some appearing disillusioned. The energy and vigour of their better times under Nuno Espirito Santo and Bruno Lage has faded. On the field, Wolves appear to have lost self-confidence.
Wolves look likely to go to Chelsea this weekend with academy coaches Steve Davis and James Collins taking the team. That may be a relatively unpressured game, but the run following it - with Nottingham Forest at home on 15 October - will not be.
Wolves must get the appointment right, but there is no time to waste if the new coach is to have a meaningful chance to make a difference before that run of matches.
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