Besiktas have dismissed ex-Porto and Portugal boss, Fernando Santos, who benched Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2022 World Cup, following their disappointing draw against Samsunspor on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
Santos was appointed boss of the Turkish giants on January 7, 2024, and he had an underwhelming stint with the club before his exit.
Fernando Santos took charge of 16 matches, winning 7, drawing 4, and losing 5, across all competitions.
His culminating game as coach of the side ended in a 1-1 draw against Samsunspor, a result which leaves them in a shaky state, with the season drawing closer to a defining period.
Hopes of UEFA Champions League football look to have evaporated, however, they can still sneak a Europa League spot, as they are 4 points behind 3rd placed Trabzonspor, who have picked up 52 points in 32 league matches.
There are 6 matches left to play this term for Besiktas, and they sit 4th on the log, with 48 points.
Besiktas are also 2 points better than 5th placed Kasimpasa, who have amassed 46 points in 32 league matches.
This means that any slip-up could be costly, as that could see them miss out on European football completely.
Meanwhile, Besiktas revealed the booting out of Santos via a brief statement shared on the club’s website which reads:
Besiktas statement on Fernando Santos
“We have parted ways with Manager Fernando Santos as of today. We would like to thank Mr. Santos for his services to Beşiktaş and wish him all the best in his future career.
“Beşiktaş Men’s Senior Football Team will be managed by Mr. Serdar Topraktepe until the end of this season.
“Besiktas JK”
Fernando Santos has handled several top clubs and countries in his career, including; Portugal, Sporting Lisbon, PAOK Thessaloniki, and Greece.
Before his spell in Turkey, Santos took charge of Poland from January 2023 to September 2023.
The 69-year-old managed just 6 games as boss of Poland, winning 3 and losing 3 matches.
Fernando Santos has had a relatively successful career, winning several trophies, including; 1 UEFA European Championship, 1 UEFA Nations League, and 1 Primeira Liga.
It will be interesting to see what his future is like, and if he is still determined to continue his coaching career.
Fernando Santos and Cristiano Ronaldo
He is notably known for benching Portuguese great Cristiano Ronaldo in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2022, which ended 1-0 in favor of Morocco.
Definitely, he knows how to make big decisions, even though on some occasions, it has haunted him.
Meanwhile, Besiktas return to action on Friday, April 19, 2024, facing Ankaragucu in a Matchday 33 Turkish Super Lig action.
The Black Eagles are winless in their last 5 competitive matches, drawing 2 games and losing 3, and they will be eager to get back to winning ways in the upcoming encounter.
