Valencia appoints ex-striker Pizzi as new manager
Print Edition
Valencia, which has received a takeover bid from a Singapore billionaire, said yesterday it has appointed its former Argentina-born striker Juan Antonio Pizzi as the team’s new coach.
The 45-year-old, who just led San Lorenzo, the Buenos Aires team supported by Pope Francis, to the Argentine league title, replaces Serbia’s Miroslav Djukic who was sacked last week after just six months at the helm of the Spanish club.
“Valencia have finalised a deal with Juan Antonio Pizzi to make the Argentine the new manager of the club. He will be joined at Valencia by fitness coach Alejandro Richino and assistant Manuel Suarez,” the club said in a statement.
The six-time La Liga champion sacked Djukic, 47, after Valencia’s 0-3 loss at second-placed Atletico Madrid which left the team in ninth place in the league table.
Pizzi played for Valencia as a striker during the 1993-94 season. He also played for Tenerife and Barcelona.
Spain became his adopted country and he represented it at international level 22 times, scoring eight goals.
Pizzi decided at first against taking the Valencia job but was persuaded to reconsider by the club’s new sporting director, former Argentina captain Roberto Ayala.
Last week Valencia announced that Singaporean businessman Peter Lim has made a bid to take over the financially stricken club and wipe out its debt.
The club has been looking for investors since principal creditor Bankia refused earlier this month to refinance the combined 306-million euro (US$418 million) debt the club and its foundation has with the bank.
Valencia President Amadeo Salvo said Lim placed a deadline of January 15 for the club and its creditors to decide on his offer.
Lim, 60, has a net worth of US$2.05 billion, making him Singapore’s fifth richest man, according to Forbes.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
