Sevilla sack Machin, put Caparros in temporary charge

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Sevilla sacked coach Pablo Machin on Friday and appointed the club’s director of football Joaquin Caparros as his replacement until the end of the season. 

Machin took charge in May last year after leading Girona to a 10th-place finish in their first campaign in La Liga. 

But despite a strong start at Sevilla, which included them going top of the table in November, results have dipped and their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season are under threat. 

Sevilla sit sixth, five points adrift of fourth, and their Europa League exit at the hands of Slavia Prague on Thursday proved the final straw for Machin. 

They have won six of their 18 matches since the turn of the year. 

“Sevilla FC have made the decision this Friday to part company with first team coach Pablo Machin following a string of poor results in recent weeks,” read an official club statement. 

“Director of football Joaquin Caparros will take the reigns with immediate effect.” 

Caparros led the team for a month last season after Vincenzo Montella was sacked and oversaw three wins from his four games in charge, including a 3-2 victory at home to Real Madrid. 

He will be in charge of Sevilla on Sunday, when they play away at Espanyol in La Liga. 

“Caparros will have experience in this role,” the club’s statement added. “He took over from Vincenzo Montella in similar circumstances last season.”