Real Zaragoza fire coach Javier Aguirre

Real Zaragoza have rescinded the contract of coach Javier Aguirre, the
La Liga club said today, following a woeful run which has left them
bottom of the standings.

"Real Zaragoza have agreed with Javier Aguirre to cancel his contract as first team coach," Zaragoza said in a statement on their website (http://www.realzaragoza.com).

"The situation the Aragonese team is in required an urgent change of course, which is why this agreement was reached," Real added.

Former Mexico boss Aguirre, who has also coached La Liga sides Atletico Madrid and Osasuna, was appointed in November 2010 to replace the sacked Jose Aurelio Gay and the 53-year-old helped Zaragoza narrowly avoid relegation last term.

With 16 of 38 matches played this season, they have just 10 points and are four behind 19th-placed Racing Santander.

"The players will get through this," Aguirre was quoted as saying in local media on Friday.

"I would have liked to stay to the end but I understand that these things happen in football."

Like many Spanish clubs, Zaragoza are suffering severe financial difficulties and applied to go into voluntary administration in June.

The newly-appointed members of their board of directors would hold a news conference later on Friday, the club said.

Zaragoza have won Spain's King's Cup six times, the last coming in 2004, and beat Arsenal to win the European Cup winners' Cup in 1995.

Reuters