Argentine football team Racing Club fired coach Luis Zubeldia following a dismal season of four consecutive losses.
The coach showed up for practice early Sunday in Avellaneda, south of the capital Buenos Aires, only to be informed by team management that he would no longer be coaching Racing, reports Xinhua.
Racing, one of the country's five most popular teams, most recently lost to Arsenal 0-2 Friday on home turf, and earlier lost 1-2 to Lanus, also on its home turf, in a South American Cup match that it has the opportunity to redeem in a rematch Wednesday.
The team was considered to have the potential to win the cup, given its strong lineup, including Luciano Vietto, Rodrigo de Paul, Ricardo Centurion, Valentin Viola, and veteran Sebastian Saja.
Local media have been speculating that Zubeldia, 32, may be replaced by Gustavo Costas, Omar de Felippe or Jose "Pepe" Romero.
"Due to the poor start to the season, club officials made the decision to discontinue the soccer cycle that began in May 2012," the team announced on its website Sunday, referring to Zubeldia's time with the team.
The outgoing coach supervised 59 games, with 22 wins, 14 ties and 23 losses.
In June 2008, at 27, he was named coach of Lanus, becoming the youngest coach in the history of Argentina's First Division football.
