<p>Despite <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/neymar/"><strong>Neymar</strong></a> scoring a brace in <strong>Santos</strong>’ most recent win, the club continues to struggle in the Brasileirao, currently sitting 15th and flirting with the relegation zone. To reverse their fortunes, reports suggest that the Peixe are eyeing a high-profile managerial change, <strong>targeting a former Argentina national team coach who once worked with </strong><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/lionel-messi/"><strong>Lionel Messi</strong></a>.</p>



<p>In their first season back in Brazil’s top flight following the club’s historic first relegation, <strong><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/santos/">Santos</a> have failed to find consistent form, even with Neymar’s high-profile return earlier this year</strong>. <strong>Cleber Xavier</strong>, appointed in April after Pedro Caixinha’s dismissal, has led the team to just 4 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses in 13 games, casting doubt over his long-term future with the club.</p>



<p>According to Argentine outlet <em>Diario Olé</em>, <strong>Santos have opened talks with </strong><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/jorge-sampaoli/"><strong>Jorge Sampaoli</strong></a><strong> about taking over as head coach</strong>. The Argentine tactician, who briefly coached Santos in 2019, is currently a free agent and reportedly interested in returning to the club.</p>



<p>Sampaoli was appointed to lead <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/argentina/"><strong>Argentina</strong></a> ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, following a successful stint with Chile that included winning the 2015 Copa América. However, his time with the Albiceleste was marked by internal conflicts and disappointing results, <strong>including reported tensions with Messi that fractured the squad</strong>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/08/06030254/jorge-sampaoli-santos-1200x675-1200x675.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-582749" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div></figure>



<p>Most recently, <strong>Sampaoli had a brief and underwhelming stint at French club Stade Rennais</strong>, where he was dismissed in January after managing just 10 matches, winning three and losing seven. Now out of work, he is being viewed as a serious candidate to guide Neymar and the struggling Santos squad.</p>


        <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" use="ALSO" link="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/vintage-neymar-santos-captain-hits-major-personal-milestone-not-seen-since-2023-and-his-al-hilal-days/" image="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.worldsoccertalk.com%2Fwebp%2Ffull%2FWST_20250805_WST_582606_neymar-santos.webp&amp;width=200&amp;height=200" excerpt="Santos star Neymar&nbsp;has made headlines again, not just for his two-goal performance in a 3-1 win over Juventude, but also for completing an elusive and symbolic milestone.
" title="Vintage Neymar: Santos captain hits major personal milestone not seen since 2023 and his Al-Hilal days" publication_id="WST#/news/vintage-neymar-santos-captain-hits-major-personal-milestone-not-seen-since-2023-and-his-al-hilal-days/"></div>


<h2>Sampaoli’s complicated history with Santos</h2>



<p>Despite leaving on a sour note, <strong>Sampaoli’s lone season with Santos in 2019 was impressive</strong>. He led the club to a second-place finish in the Brasileirao behind champions Flamengo and secured a spot in the Copa Libertadores, a strong return from a tactical perspective.</p>



<p>However, his exit from the club was far from smooth. After managing 64 matches with a record of 34 wins, 15 draws, and 15 losses, <strong>Sampaoli demanded a substantial payout from Santos over unpaid performance-related bonuses</strong>. The club refused, citing that certain contractual clauses had not been met, which led Sampaoli to take legal action against the organization.</p>



<p>In court, Santos were dealt a significant financial blow, as they were ordered to fulfill their economic obligations. To settle the dispute with the Argentine coach, <strong>the club was forced to pay Sampaoli $800,000</strong>, effectively closing the chapter on his contentious exit.</p>


Neymar’s Santos reportedly pushing to sign former Argentina coach who worked with Lionel Messi

Neymar’s Santos reportedly pushing to sign former Argentina coach who worked with Lionel Messi - World Soccer Talk

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<p>On Thursday, Brazilian club Flamengo terminated the contract of their manager Jorge Sampaoli. The team failed to secure victory in the Copa do Brasil over the weekend.</p>



<p>The Argentine manager felt the heat to perform well with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/flamengo-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-the-united-states/">Flamengo</a>, Brazil’s most popular team. When they failed to win the Brazilian Cup in a two-legged final, his departure was all but certain.</p>



<p>Through its various social media outlets, the club expressed gratitude to Sampaoli and best wishes for his professional future.</p>



<h5>Flamengo are currently eighth in Brazil</h5>



<p>Sampaoli spent previous managerial stops with Argentina, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/sampaoli-sacked-by-sevilla-after-poor-performances-20230321-WST-423968.html">Sevilla</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/07/01/sampaoli-leaves-marseille-speaking-of-differences-with-club-bosses/">Marseille</a>. He only arrived at the Rio de Janeiro club in April. His contract expires in 2024.</p>



<p>Since joining the Rubro-Negro, the 63-year-old met adversity. Earlier in the season, Flamengo also lost to Olimpia of Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. The defending champions’ loss stung much more knowing that this year’s championship game will be played at Maracanã Stadium.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We can confirm that Jorge Sampaoli will no longer be the Head Coach of the club. We wish him luck on his future endeavors.</p>— Flamengo (@Flamengo_en) <a href="https://twitter.com/Flamengo_en/status/1707525494512525800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>After 24 games, they have slipped to eighth position in Brazil’s top division. They are 11 points behind the top and local Rio rivals, Botafogo.</p>



<h2>Flamengo targets Tite as successor to Sampaoli</h2>



<p>His potential replacement has already been the subject of speculation in the local media. Former Brazil coach <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/tite-resigns-from-brazil-after-shock-world-cup-exit-20221209-WST-411832.html">Tite</a> is the leading candidate to manage Flamengo. Formerly at Corinthians, Tite took over the Brazilian national team in 2016.</p>



<p>However, he was fired after the squad failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals at the World Cup for the second time in a row. However, Tite has already said that he does not want to coach Brazilian clubs and is instead actively seeking employment opportunities outside of Brazil.</p>



<p>But he may give in to the lure of attempting to right the ship at Brazil’s most prominent club, according to a report from <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/38514923/flamengo-fire-coach-jorge-sampaoli-eye-ex-brazil-boss-tite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESPN Brasil</a>.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO &amp; Agencia-MexSport</em></p>


Flamengo looking to hire ex-Brazil coach to replace Sampaoli

Less than a week after Jorge Sampaoli's failed bid to win a trophy with Flamengo, the Brazilian club sacked the coach on Thursday.

<p>Sevilla have fired head coach Jorge Sampaoli. The Spanish side have been struggling all season, no matter the coach in charge. Sampaoli previously took over the team in October after the Spanish side sacked Julen Lopetegui after just 10 games in charge during the current campaign. The club now turns to Jose Luis Mendilibar to escape the drop.</p>



<p>“We have taken the decision to terminate Sampaoli’s contract following the loss to Getafe which leaves us on the brink of the relegation zone,” Sevilla&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/sevilla-espfc_sevilla/story/4906810/sevilla-sack-jorge-sampaoli-in-search-of-third-manager-of-the-season" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> on the firing.</p>



<p>“The fact that the team has not managed to move clear of bottom of the table since he took over as coach, in addition to the team’s performances in the last few games, have led to this decision.”</p>



<h2>Sampaoli departs Sevilla with ‘head held high’</h2>



<p>Sampaoli also issued a statement as well. “I leave with my head held high because of the attitude [shown] at all times, because we are in the quarterfinals of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/europa-league-tv-schedule/">Europa League</a>, and because we put a lot of effort into taking this story forward,” Sampaoli proclaimed on his Instagram.</p>



<p>“Football doesn’t always give back the insomnia we dedicate to it. But I have no doubt that it was worth offering and putting my heart into this shield.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">ℹ️ Jorge Sampaoli deja de ser el técnico del <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SevillaFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SevillaFC</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeareSevilla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeareSevilla</a></p>— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SevillaFC/status/1638110868066975747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h5>Coach in charge for 84 games during two stints with club</h5>



<p>This was Sampaoli’s second stint at the helm with Sevilla. He also coached the club during the 2016-17 season. Sevilla finished fourth in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/la-liga-tv-schedule/">LaLiga</a> table that year and made it to the round of 16 in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">Champions League</a>. However, the Argentine departed the club to take over as the Argentina national team manager. Sampaoli only managed to remain with the South Americans for one year before leaving.</p>



<p>The coach now leaves Sevilla sitting 14th in the LaLiga table. Los Nervionenses have lost five of their last seven matches and are just two points out of the relegation zone. They have not finished outside of the top 10 in the Spanish top flight since 2001.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🆕 The gaffer 🏟️❤️ <a href="https://t.co/BgCe5BHYQJ">pic.twitter.com/BgCe5BHYQJ</a></p>— Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) <a href="https://twitter.com/SevillaFC_ENG/status/1638225474395447310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Sevilla are, however, still alive in the Europa League. They next face <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a> in the competition on April 13 and 20. Mendilibar, the incoming manager, has limited experience in that kind of competition. He has managed various teams in Spain, including three different clubs other than Sevilla that are currently in the Spanish top flight.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / NurPhoto</em></p>


Sampaoli sacked by Sevilla after poor performances

Sevilla have fired head coach Jorge Sampaoli. The Spanish side have been struggling all season, no matter the coach in charge. Sampaoli previously took over the team in October after the Spanish side sacked Julen Lopetegui after just 10 games in charge during the current campaign. The club now turns to Jose Luis Mendilibar to [&hellip;]

Sevilla have fired head coach Jorge Sampaoli after a series of bad results. The Spanish side already named its third head coach this season.

Sampaoli sacked by Sevilla after poor performances - World Soccer Talk

<p>It’s been just three years since <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2020/08/21/sevilla-beat-inter-in-thrilling-final-to-win-sixth-europa-league/">Sevilla lifted the Europa League</a> trophy in front of an awed crowd in Cologne.</p>



<p>From big wins against Roma and United to a breath-taking match against Inter, Sevilla clinched their sixth Europa League title, and their first in four years.</p>



<p>For a while, between 2019 and 2022, Sevilla looked like a challenger to the ‘big three’ of LaLiga: Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid. The<em> Palanganas</em> often finished fourth. </p>



<p>Not only did this clinch a Champions League spot. Sevilla threatened the traditional Spanish soccer hierarchy.</p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Sevilla players and manager in tears! Amazing scenes as they win the Europa League for sixth time!" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E9bYXmI94S4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p>Sevilla was just as adept in the boardroom as they were on the field. The Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium churned out talent after talent. Some was great, Pablo Sarabia, Wissam Ben Yedder and more recently Jules Koundé. Some was less impressive despite strong stints. For instance, Vitolo, Steven Nzonzi and Clement Lenglet.</p>



<p>Year after year, Sevilla forged more and more competitive teams with bigger and bigger signings. That was, until, it all went bust.</p>



<p>Nearing the halfway point of the La Liga season, Sevilla has just eleven points in 14 games. That’s good for just two wins and seven total losses, putting them at a dismal <a href="https://www.skysports.com/la-liga-table" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">18th</a>. </p>



<p>Unlike the stories of <a href="https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-sunderland-fell-premier-league-14561202" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sunderland</a> and Blackburn Rovers FC with many gradually depressing seasons, the Sevilla downfall has been harsh.</p>



<h5>Offseason business</h5>



<p>You can probably link Sevilla’s inadequacy with their laid-back approach to the summer 2022 transfer window. </p>



<p>Sevilla bid <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/08/01/kounde-proud-to-join-ambitious-barcelona/">adieu to Jules Koundé</a> in its most lucrative transfer of all time. Also selling Diego Carlos and Lucas Ocampos, among other recognizable names.</p>



<p>To replace the reliable center-back pairing of Kounde and Carlos, Sevilla turned to former Bayern defender Tanguy Nianzou and Marcao. The Spanish side acquired those two for around $30 million, combined. </p>



<p>Then, Sevilla replaced three players from last season, Ocampos, Munir El Haddadi and Anthony Martial, with three players. Sevilla signed Isco, Kasper Dolberg and Adnan Januzaj.</p>



<p>Not exactly the best return.</p>



<p>Although any club will welcome a profit of $67.4 million from transfers, no one wants to do it by losing some key players. Although transferring out Kounde, Carlos, and Ocampos for big bucks is understandable, their replacements have proved to be mediocre at best. </p>



<p>Nianzou has been average, and Marcao has played in just seven games due to a multiple injuries. Dolberg, Januzaj, and Isco have combined for zero goals this season. Isco, with two assists on this season, reportedly left Sevilla after a row with Sevilla sporting director Monchi.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Sevilla FC have reached an agreement with Isco Alarcón to terminate his contract. <a href="https://t.co/BmMwgTRAuW">pic.twitter.com/BmMwgTRAuW</a></p>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1605560706232946690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Sevilla had to sell their players now rather than let them walk for free later. But, they definitely could have found better replacements after they sold them. It would come back to nip them in the bud when the season started.</p>



<h5>Chaos on and off the field</h5>



<p>Sevilla’s season started with a bang; a bad one. Sevilla lost several winnable games in the beginning of the season. </p>



<p>Sevilla lost to both newly promoted Almeria and midtable Osasuna, 2-1. Despite a 3-2 win over Espanyol, Sevilla entered another winless drought.</p>



<p>Saddled with Champions League games and a tough schedule, Sevilla would go winless for an entire month. Julen Lopetegui, the overseer of Sevilla’s rise to prominence, paid the price with his job. The breaking point was a grim 4-1 loss to Dortmund that put its Champions League dreams in major jeopardy. </p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Borussia Dortmund vs. Sevilla: Extended Highlights | UCL Group Stage MD 4 | CBS Sports Golazo" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OzlgBfE20x0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p>New manager Jorge Sampaoli has only been slightly better. Sampaoli salvaged qualification to the Europa League with a 3-0 win over FC Kobenhaven; the club’s only win in the competition. Yet, it has only gotten worse. Aside from a close 1-0 win over Mallorca in October, Sevilla remains in the midst of a downfall in LaLiga.</p>



<h5>Answering the downfall of Sevilla</h5>



<p>Sevilla needs more than a bigger bank and better results. It needs an overhaul in the tactical department. Sampaoli is in his second stint as Sevilla manager. He is more famous for leading Chile to its first Copa America title. </p>



<p>Sampaoli is a prudent coach. He likes to control the tempo of the match by keeping possession and attacking only when the time is right.</p>



<p>In all of the teams under his guise, there has been some degree of experimentation with the squad’s formation. </p>



<p>It’s the same with Sevilla, as Sampaoli bounced between a 4-2-3-1, a 5-4-1 and more. But one element stays the same; the team’s possession rates.</p>



<p>All of Sevilla’s wins with Sampaoli have come when Sevilla had a possession over 55%. It’s why teams like Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, and Manchester City have wreaked Sevilla; they prevented them from having time on the ball.</p>



<p>That, and a conservative defense that minimize risks and does not lunge into tackles, leads to lots of low-quality opportunities.</p>



<p>Sampaoli’s measured approach has made Sevilla fourth in attempted passes and fifth in completed passes. Most of Sevilla’s offense comes from rebounds off of shots, which would be expected considering Sevilla average around 12 shots per game. </p>



<p>Sampaoli has also made his team very slow and patient. Sevilla played the fourth-most passes in its own defensive third, had the seventh-most touches in LaLiga. </p>



<p>Sevilla’s slow, careful approach has made it into one of the worst offenses in the league, although it may be expected when you have out-of-form players like Isco, Erik Lamela, Rafa Mir, and Oliver Torres leading the attack.</p>



<h5>What Sevilla needs</h5>



<p>Sevilla can hit the ground running with a slate of winnable winter games to get out of the relegation zone. They first play Celta Vigo, 17th. </p>



<p>Then, Sevilla takes on Getafe, Girona, Cadiz and Elche. Those teams are all No. 13 in the current table or worse. In fact, Cadiz and Elche are the only two teams beneath Sevilla in the table.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>The club are keeping me informed as to what is going to happen and I hope it’s as soon as possible. We need a left back, a left centre back, a midfielder and a forward who can give us strength. I’m not getting distracted by things I can’t resolve myself.</p><cite>Jorge Sampaoli, from <a href="https://sevillafc.es/en/actual/news/press-conference-sampaoli-juventud-2223">Sevilla FC</a></cite></blockquote>



<p>Sampaoli has already gotten to business. Sevilla have reportedly signed Rennes center-back and France U21 international Loïc Badé to provide cover in the defense, and with lots of salary room to work around with, Sevilla could definitely sniff around the Premier League and Ligue 1 in search for more promising players.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sevilla are closing in on Loïc Badé deal after talks with Rennes. Loan with buy option clause set to be agreed, deal approved also on player side – waiting on final details. 🔴🤝  <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sevilla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sevilla</a><br><br>Badé&apos;s loan to Nottingham Forest will be cancelled in order to join Sevilla. <a href="https://t.co/DOIUPYoxPq">pic.twitter.com/DOIUPYoxPq</a></p>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1605470878300454912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Sevilla can respond from this rapid downfall. Sampaoli and <em>Los Nervionenses</em> will try to make a big comeback to avoid total embarrassment and a potential financial collapse.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / NurPhoto</em></p>


Sevilla spirals into disappointing downfall

After a rough start to the Champions League and La Liga, Sevilla is faced with lots of questions to answer

Sevilla spirals into disappointing downfall - World Soccer Talk

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