Sevilla axe manager Javier Garcia Pimienta after fourth straight defeat

The club officially parted ways with the 50-year-old manager on Sunday, just two days after a limp 1-0 defeat to Valencia - their fourth consecutive LaLiga loss - plunged them further into mid-table misery.

With just 36 points from 31 games and a precarious seven-point buffer above the relegation zone, Sevilla's decision came as no real surprise. The seven-time Europa League winners now sit 13th, a far cry from their continental-challenging expectations.

"Sevilla would like to thank Garcia Pimienta for his work over these months, and his professionalism, wishing him the best of luck in his future endeavours," the club said in a brief statement - the kind of farewell reserved for exits without fireworks.

Garcia Pimienta had taken the reins last July on a two-year deal, replacing Quique Sanchez Flores. He arrived with a reputation for building from the ground up, having guided Las Palmas to LaLiga promotion and survival across two gritty seasons. But his time in Andalusia failed to ignite in similar fashion.

What promised to be a season of transition has now turned into one of turbulence. A lack of attacking threat and tactical bite left fans frustrated and the board with little choice.

His final match in charge - a toothless display at the Mestalla - seemed to seal his fate.

Sevilla will now scramble to reset before they host Deportivo Alavés on April 20, with relegation fears still lurking and European hopes all but dashed. A new voice in the dugout may be the only shot at salvaging a season that's slipped away far too quickly.