5 managers who could be sacked this season
Several managers could lose their jobs in one of the most unpredictable football seasons in recent memory. That is because owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, last season ended late, so some of the big teams across the continent have struggled to be at their best this campaign.
As is often the case, when a team fails to meet expectations during a season, the buck stops with the manager.
Five managers who could face the sack this season
With more than half the season still to play, several managers of big clubs are hanging onto their jobs by the skin of their teeth and need a turnaround in their team's fortunes.
On that note, let us take a look at five such managers from across Europe who could lose their jobs by the end of the season.
#5 Ronald Koeman (Barcelona)
Ronald Koeman was appointed as the Barcelona manager in the summer of 2020, with the club seemingly in crisis, both on and off the field.
Koeman has dealt with some of the issues admirably well and finally seems to have stabilised Barcelona's results on the pitch as well. However, they are still only third in the La Liga, four points behind Atletico Madrid, having played three games more than Diego Simeone's side.
Even in the Champions League, Barcelona have a tough draw in the Round of 16, as a rematch of their classic 2016-17 clash against Paris Saint-Germain beckons.
Moreover, Barcelona are going through uncertainty due to the upcoming presidential election at the club. More than one candidate has been vocal about their preference for the Barcelona manager, something that doesn't make happy reading for Koeman.
#4 Antonio Conte (Inter Milan)
Antonio Conte is a manager under pressure after another failure in the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan.
In a group also containing Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Moenchengladbach, Inter Milan finished fourth in the group stage. That meant that the Nerazzurri will not play European football this season.
Inter Milan are currently second in Serie A, three points behind league leaders and city rivals AC Milan.
Antonio Conte was at loggerheads with the Inter Milan chiefs before the start of the season and was on the brink of leaving the job in the summer. However, with Inter Milan continuing to falter, anything other than a Scudetto victory could see the manager lose his job.