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Valencia coach Emery extends contract until 2012
22:24 BST, Mon 23 May 2011
MADRID, May 23 (Reuters) - Valencia coach Unai Emery has agreed to extend his contract by one year until the end of June 2012 after guiding the La Liga club into next season's Champions League.
LA LIGA
Valencia finished third for a second successive season, clinching an automatic qualification spot in Europe's elite club competition.
"Unai has demonstrated his worth and qualifying directly for the Champions League has great merit for all," the club's president, Manuel Llorent, said on their website (www.valenciacf.es).
Real Sociedad have sacked coach Martin Lasarte despite avoiding relegation from La Liga at the weekend.
"Real Sociedad have informed Martin Lasarte today that he will not be continuing as first-team coach next season," the club said in a statement on their website.
"Real Sociedad want to publicly thank Martin Lasarte for the work he has done and the professionalism he has shown at our club during these two seasons, and at the same time wish him the best of success, both professionally and personally, in the future."
Uruguayan Lasarte, 50, brought Sociedad back up to the top flight last season when they finished top of the second division. He still had a year left on his contract.
They ended the latest campaign fighting to avoid the drop and a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Getafe on Saturday left them sixth from bottom on 45 points, two above relegated Deportivo Coruna.
Early favourite to replace Lasarte is Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa, who guided Chile to last year's World Cup finals in South Africa.
Sevilla are also believed to be interested in Bielsa as a replacement for the recently sacked Gregorio Manzano.
Sevilla have informed coach Gregorio Manzano they will not be renewing his contract despite the Andalusian club finishing fifth in La Liga.
Manzano joined Sevilla in September after the club sacked Antonio Alvarez because of an indifferent start to the season.
The much-travelled 55-year-old turned Sevilla's fortunes around, leading them to fifth place and a berth in next season's Europa League.
Despite seemingly hard done by, Manzano - former coach of Real Mallorca, Atletico Madrid and Racing Santander - said on Wednesday he preferred to make a low-key exit from the job.
"I came here quietly and I want to go quietly,'' Manzano said.
"On Monday in a meeting with the president (Jose Maria del Nido) and the sporting director (Monchi) they told me that my contract would not be extended."
"I thanked them for everything they have done for me and for the coaching staff."
"We also want to thank the president, the sporting director and the board for first looking to bring us in. It has been an honour and a source of pride."
"They haven't given me any explanation because I haven't asked for one. When the president decided to change the project I thanked him for having put me in charge, it was not the time to ask for explanations."
"The team finished fifth. In the cup competitions we were knocked out by the eventual winners (Porto in the Europa League and Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey)."
"These are the facts. If these facts haven't been sufficient to renew the contract, the only thing to do is to show respect. There is no need to reproach anyone or to question, I want to wish them luck.''
