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New coach takes stage without Real Madrid's lead actors
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-06 08:39
MADRID, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Real Madrid have announced that Arrigo Sacchi will
quit his role as Real Madrid's director of football at the end of the year for
personal reasons just a day after the club sacked coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.
Real said on Monday that the 59-year-old former Italy and AC Milan coach
told them of his decision two weeks before the team's 3-0 defeat by arch rivals
Barcelona on November 19.
"Sacchi said he was very happy at Real Madrid and that is why he wanted to
complete a year in his post," the club said on their Web site.
"But family considerations persuaded him to make this decision."
The news of Sacchi's resignation follows hot on the heels of the dismissal of
Brazilian coach Luxemburgo, who was appointed on the advice of the Italian.
Reserve team coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro has been put in charge of the first
team on a caretaker basis.
Sacchi was appointed to his post on December 21 last year in a move that was
designed to revive the ailing fortunes of the club and, in the words of Real
president Florentino Perez, "make the club more professional".
Real recovered from a poor start to last season to put together a fine run in
the league under his and Luxemburgo's guidance and eventually finished just four
points behind eventual champions Barcelona.
But the team made a disappointing exit in the first knockout stage of the
Champions League and failed to progress beyond the last 16 of the King's Cup.
The club underwent a 90-million euro ($105.6 million) makeover in the close
season with Brazilian forwards Robinho and Julio Baptista, Spain defender and
Uruguayan duo Pablo Garcia and Carlos Diogo being brought in to revitalise the
squad.
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