Valencia have sacked their head coach Albert Celades after a run of results during which the club have won just two of their past 13 games.
Celades was brought in to manage Valencia in September following the sacking of Marcelino García Toral but he proved unable to revive the club.
Since the restart of La Liga this month, Valencia have won just one of five matches, losing three including the 2-0 weekend defeat against Villarreal that left them eight points out of a Champions League qualification place.
Before the season went on hiatus because of the Covid-19 crisis, Valencia were beaten 8-4 on aggregate by Atalanta in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Celades’ assistant, Voro, has taken over temporary control, his sixth spell in a caretaker role. Valencia have had 12 coaches since Unai Emery left the club in the summer of 2012.
A club statement read: “Valencia CF have communicated to Albert Celades his removal from his position as first-team coach, with immediate effect.
“The club wish to thank him publicly for his work and dedication during his time at the club – a period in which we achieved qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League and important victories at grounds where we had previously not won.
“The club also value his help and contribution since he took over as coach of the first team in a moment of difficulty, and wish him every success in his future endeavours. From Tuesday, Voro González will take charge of the first team on a provisional basis through to the end of the present season.”
Celades, a former Spanish international, had previously worked as an assistant for Real Madrid and the Spain national team, for whom he worked at the 2014 and 2018 World Cup tournaments.