Author: Vishwajit Sawant
After Santos’ disappointing 3-0 defeat to Cruzeiro at Vila Belmiro, coach Diego Aguirre’s future is uncertain. The defeat cast a shadow of doubt over Aguirre’s position in the team.
Aguirre now faces a perilous road ahead, with just five games left to save Santos’ dwindling prospects. The team’s performance in recent games has fallen short of expectations, leaving them firmly in the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship.
With just one win and four defeats in their last five games, Santos are now four points clear of the group of teams facing the prospect of relegation to Serie B. Bahia, who occupy 15th place, are two points ahead of Santos, while 16th-placed Goiás are also four points clear and are still in the running.
Santos’ board of directors is due to meet this Friday to decide on Diego Aguirre’s future as coach. There were even rumors that Aguirre could have been sacked from his post immediately after the defeat to Cruzeiro, but he managed to keep his job, albeit tenuously.
During president Andrés Rueda’s tenure, eight coaches, including Aguirre, have been in charge of Santos. It wasn’t until 2023 that the managerial baton passed from Odair Hellmann to Paulo Turra, culminating in the current leadership of Uruguayan Diego Aguirre. While the discussions unfold, Santos fans and stakeholders are anxiously awaiting the decision that could shape the rest of the season.
UPDATE: Santos has decided to sack the coach. For the early termination of the contract, the club will pay compensation to the commission of 3 months’ salary (around 1.5 million reais).