Athletic Bilbao sack Berizzo after winless streak

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Athletic Bilbao sacked Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo and replaced him with B team manager Gaizka Garitano on Tuesday after a dire run of form which has left the Basque club 18th in La Liga.

Bilbao fell to a 3-0 defeat at Levante on Monday, continuing a dreadful spell that has seen them fail to win a league game since the opening day of the season.

The only La Liga side besides giants Real Madrid and Barcelona never to be relegated from Spain's top flight, Athletic are now three points from safety with 11 points from 14 games, three points behind 17th-placed Villarreal.

Athletic Club declare the dismission of coach Eduardo Berizzo, November 4, 2018. /Screenshot from Athletic Bilbao's official Twitter account

The 49-year-old Berizzo was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2017 while coaching Sevilla.

He was sacked by Sevilla in December because of a bad run of form. Then, he overcame his battle with the disease in February and took over at Athletic in May 2018.

His replacement Garitano took Eibar to top-flight promotion for the first time in their history in 2014, although he resigned after they were relegated in 2015, despite the club being reinstated following Elche's demotion.

Gaizka Garitano /VCG Photo

Garitano was sacked by Valladolid in 2015 and Deportivo La Coruna in 2017 before taking over at Bilbao Athletic, the club's reserve side.

Cover: Eduardo Berizzo /VCG Photo

Source(s): Reuters