Stricken Sevilla turn once again to CaparrĂłs as owners keep up circus act | Sid Lowe
Fourth spell begins for clubâs eighth head coach in less than three seasons, in wake of fourth defeat in a row Just before two oâclock on Palm Sunday, as Holy Week began and religious brotherhoods started their slow, swaying progress through the streets of Seville, first La Paz, then La Hiniesta, then the rest, a man entered the city at Santa Justa. Aged 69, diagnosed with leukaemia five years ago, wearing a grey cardigan, blue jacket and a slightly manic smile, heâs thinner than before but couldnât be more familiar. JoaquĂn CaparrĂłs has coached Sevilla more times than anyone, across three spells, the first a quarter of a century ago; now he was returning for a fourth. âMy face is a reflection; it says it all,â he said, leaving the station and stopping on the corner, searching for the car coming for him. CaparrĂłs arrived on a train, alone and as their saviour. As somebodyâs saviour, anyway: someone to get behind, someone to hide behind too, for a little while. Two days earlier Sevilla had lost 1-0 at Valencia. That night, manager Xavier GarcĂa Pimienta said he would be with his players until the end of the world but he didnât make it to the end of the weekend. On Thursday, the president JosĂŠ Maria del Nido Carrasco had declared it âtime to be close to the coaching staffâ and on Saturday they took training as normal; 24 hours later, they had been sacked. CaparrĂłs had already been called. He will be their eighth coach in less than three seasons. Continue reading...