Osasuna fires Camacho as coach

Published Feb. 14, 2011 12:54 p.m. ET

foxsports

Osasuna fired coach Jose Antonio Camacho on Monday after the Spanish club's latest loss left it in the relegation zone.

Osasuna said on its website it will name a substitute for Camacho later, with former Valladolid coach Jose Luis Mendilibar the favorite, according to Spanish reports. Assistant Pepe Carcelen was also let go.

"I'm sad and unable to work," Camacho said after the announcement. "I wasn't expecting this."

Camacho previously coached Espanyol, Real Madrid and Benfica and led Spain for nearly four years, including at the 2002 World Cup.

It was his third season at the helm of the Basque club, which is 18th following Sunday's 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad. Osasuna finished 12th and 15th in his two prior seasons.

"I arrived here to keep the team in the first league and I leave them in the first league," Camacho said. "This year has been tougher."

Osasuna has won only once in its last 11 league matches - a 1-0 win over second-place Real Madrid.

The 55-year-old Camacho is the sixth coach to be fired in the Spanish league this season.