Top 5 Managers Who Have Been Sacked in Europe’s Top Leagues This Season

The 2023/24 season has seen five managers already lose their jobs as clubs in Europe’s top five leagues push for a great start to the new campaign.

A slow start means the manager could pay the ultimate price, as some top managers have already seen. There have been sackings in the Premier League, Ligue 1, La Liga, and Serie A already.

According to Football Transfers, two managers have been shown the exit door in France, one in the English Premier League, one in Serie A, and finally one in the Spanish La Liga.

The Bundesliga remains the only top league in Europe yet to suffer any managerial casualty, although the head of the German national team, Hansi Flick, was fired for poor results.

Here, Sports Brief, alongside Football Transfers, highlights the first five managers to lose their jobs in Europe’s top five leagues in the ongoing 2023/24 campaign.

5. Julen Lopetegui (Wolves/England)

Julen Lopetegui left Wolves just three days before the start of the new Premier League season after he grew frustrated with the club’s unwillingness to spend on transfers, Sky Sports reports.

After he took over with the team bottom last Christmas, the Spaniard was in charge for nine months and kept Wolves in the Premier League.

Wolves later released a club statement revealing that Lopetegui and the EPL team acknowledged and accepted their differences of opinion on certain issues, and agreed that an amicable end to his contract was the best solution for all parties.

Lopetegui was replaced by former Bournemouth manager Gary O'Neil, completing a chaotic pre-season for the team.

4. Quique Setien (Villarreal/Spain)

Villarreal officially announced that Quique Setien would no longer be the head coach of the club's first team, making him the first La Liga manager to be sacked this season, ESPN reports.

The announcement brought to an end Setien's brief tenure with the club, which began in October 2022 after Unai Emery left to join Premier League club Aston Villa.

The Yellow Submarine, who finished fifth last season under the former Barcelona manager, only won one of their first four league games this season, triggering Setien's dismissal.

3. Paolo Zanetti (Empoli/Italy)

Empoli fired manager Paolo Zanetti and replaced him with Aurelio Andreazzoli after a 7-0 thumping at AS Roma left them bottom of Serie A with no points after four games, Reuters reports.

The former Italy international earned promotion to Serie A with Venezia before taking over at Empoli. However, he was fired in April 2022 after eight defeats left them bottom, and they were relegated last season.

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Zanetti's side have failed to score so far this season and have conceded 12 goals, prompting the dismissal of the 40-year-old manager.

2. Laurent Blanc (Lyon/France)

Laurent Blanc was appointed as the Lyon manager in October 2022, but his tenure with the Ligue 1 club only lasted 11 months and 37 games after he was booted out following a poor start to the season, One Football reports.

After four games, the former Manchester United defender was sacked as Olympique Lyon’s manager as his team sat at the bottom of the Ligue 1 table.

After a 1-4 loss against Montpellier in the second league game of the season, Blanc surprisingly hinted that the club might have to fire him in order for the results to improve. He got his wish two matchdays later.

1. Marcelino (Marseille/France)

Marseille coach Marcelino resigned after less than three months in command, citing supporter discontent following complaints for the team’s poor showing since the start of the season, AP News reports.

Marcelino’s departure was announced on the day of Marseille’s Europa League game at Ajax and only days before the French league’s biggest game against rival Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, which they lost 4-0 to the Parisians.

Marcelino's departure was announced during a meeting on Monday between Marseille president Pablo Longoria, several directors, and groups of supporters who have enormous power in Marseille.

Is time running out for Pochettino?

In related news, Sports Brief reported that Mauricio Pochettino has pleaded for more time as he scrambles for solutions to Chelsea's mounting crisis. But how patient will the owners be?

The Blues, European champions only two years ago, sit at a lowly 14th in the Premier League table, just four points above the relegation zone, after one win in their first six matches.

Their latest setback was a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday, with Ollie Watkins scoring the winner after the dismissal of Chelsea defender Malo Gusto.