Football: Zaragoza part company with Jimenez

Real Zaragoza have confirmed that Manuel Jimenez will not continue as their coach after the Aragonese club were relegated from the Spanish top flight.

“On Monday, June 10, there was a meeting between Real Zaragoza, Manuel Jimenez and his representative in which it was decided that Jimenez will not continue as coach of the Aragonese side,” said a statement on the club’s website.

Jimenez had been in charge for 18 months and led Zaragoza to a remarkable escape from the drop last season as they won their last four games to survive on the final day.

However, the 49-year-old, who also had three years in charge of Sevilla, couldn’t repeat the trick this campaign as an awful run of just two wins in 21 league games after the turn of the year saw Zaragoza finish bottom of the table.

Paco Herrera, who led Celta Vigo to promotion from the Segunda in the 2011/12 season before being sacked by the Galician club in February, is the favourite to take over.