Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been sacked by Al-Ittihad, despite winning the Saudi Professional League title last season.
A statement on Al-Ittihad social media pages said: “The club has announced the end of its contract with Portuguese coach Nuno Santo,” adding: “This decision comes after a comprehensive technical evaluation of the past phase during which he was in charge of coaching the first football team.”
His side sits sixth in the league, with the likes of Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante among their ranks. Al-Ittihad were beaten 2-0 by Iraqi side Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the Asian Champions League on Tuesday. Their Saudi title defence has so far been disastrous, already trailing league leaders Al-Hilal by 11 points after just 12 games.
Al-Ittihad’s defeat to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya reportedly led to an internal review of Nuno’s position by club chiefs. And they subsequently opted to dispense of the former Tottenham gaffer’s services. Assistant coach Hassan Khalifa will take temporary charge while the club finalises on Nuno’s replacement.