The Portuguese has worked for the club since the summer of 2022 and made it the champion of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Al-Ittihad officially announced the termination of the contract with the head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Portuguese specialist has worked in this position since July 2022. Under him, Al-Ittihad became the champion of Saudi Arabia 2023.
Santo’s ex-assistant, Hassan Khalifa, has been temporarily appointed acting head coach.
There were previously rumors in the media about a conflict between the head coach and French striker Karim Benzema, winner of the 2022 Ballon d’Or, who became an Al-Ittihad player in June 2023.
Modest results could also be a formal reason for dismissal. Al-Ittihad had a great start, but gradually began to slip. Santo’s team has scored only three points in the last five rounds of the championship, and is already 11 points behind the leader Al-Hilal.
The last straw that filled the management’s patience could have been the 0:2 defeat from Iraqi Al-Quwa in the Asian Champions League, which happened on November 6.
Before the Saudi club, Espirito Santo worked as a manager at Tottenham, Wolverhampton, Porto, Valencia and Rio Ave.
On Friday, November 10, Al Ittihad will host Abha in the 13th round of the Saudi Pro League.
Source: Sportarena
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