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Last year's strongest club, UEFA Cup winner, Spanish champion club today (Friday) fired their head coach Claudio Ranieri after lunch.
The coach led "Valencia" club for eight months since Rafael Benitez left the club. The Italian strategist spent almost 30 million euros on new players, including four Italians. However, the club won only 15 out of 36 matches played this season in both Europe and their country's championship.
Lately, the Spanish club has fallen into a big hole. Spanish champions practically lost hope of defending their title in Spain, and "Valencia" already withdrew from the Champions League after the group stage. Furthermore, the strongest club of last year already withdrew from this tournament after the first matches in the UEFA Cup.
The loss to Bucharest's "Steaua" club was the last straw for the patience of the Spanish club leaders, so an extraordinary meeting was called after lunch today, during which it was decided that Ranieri can no longer coach the "Valencia" club.
The dismissal of the coach will cost the "Valencia" club a large sum, as compensation will have to be paid to Ranieri, as the contract with the Italian was signed until the summer of 2006. The former right-hand man of Rafael Benitez, coach Antonio Lopez, will temporarily lead the team.
The club leaders mentioned several coaches who are potential candidates to become the strategists of "Valencia." Among the names are Ronald Koeman, who recently left Amsterdam's "Ajax" club, as well as "Monaco" strategist Didier Deschamps and "Getafe" head coach Quique Flores.
