LaLiga strugglers Valencia sack head coach Baraja

LaLiga strugglers Valencia sacked coach Ruben Baraja on Monday.

Sunday's 2-2 draw against Alavés left Valencia second from bottom in LaLiga with just two wins and nine defeats from 17 games.

A club statement said: "Valencia CF have decided to bring to an end Ruben Baraja's time as first team coach. The club would like to publicly thank Baraja for the passion, dedication and commitment that he has shown from the first to the last day of his tenure in charge."

A legendary player at the club, Baraja took over the team in February 2023 and guided them to a ninth-place finish last season.

"The dynamic of results during this season has required a decision that has been very difficult to make, but which has been taken with the aim of turning the situation around and achieving better results," the statement added.

The club has yet to announce who will succeed Baraja.

The removal of Baraja adds to the crisis at Valencia, with fans demanding for years that owner Peter Lim sell the club.

The Singapore businessman acquired then debt-ridden Valencia in 2014 but has not been a popular figure, with the club having regularly been forced to sell their top players to reduce the club's high debts while not making significant signings to strengthen the squad.

In January, the club is expected to resume work at the Nou Mestalla stadium which was among the commitments Lim had made when he took control 10 years ago.

The failure to have the new stadium completed led the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to announce Valencia would not serve as one of the hosts cities for the 2030 World Cup, even though it is the third largest city in Spain.

Valencia host Real Madrid on Jan. 3.