Desperate Deportivo fires coach

DEPORTIVO La Coruna fired coach Cristobal Parralo yesterday and has started the search for its third manager of the season.

The decision was taken after a 0-5 defeat by Real Sociedad on Friday which left the club 18th in the table with 17 points from 22 games, three behind Levante in 17th.

“Deportivo want to thank Cristobal for his effort, dedication and work in the time he has been first team coach,” said the Galician side in a statement.

Formerly the club’s B team coach, Parralo was promoted in October after Pepe Mel was sacked, following a poor start to the season.

Depor achieved just three wins in 15 matches in all competitions under Parralo, with four defeats and three draws in its last seven matches.

Parralo becomes the sixth coach to be dismissed by president Tino Fernandez, since he took over in 2014.

The club has been in decline for the past decade after a mini golden era when it won the Spanish league in 2000 and the cup in 2001 with Dutch striker Roy Makaay as spearhead and iconic Brazilian center-back Mauro Silva as captain.

On Saturday, Real Madrid slumped 2-2 at Levante, only 11 days from its critical UEFA Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Real appeared to have taken control through Francisco “Isco” Alarcon’s goal in the 81st minute, but Giampaolo Pazzini equalized on his debut for Levante with two minutes remaining to split the points.

The result left Real in fourth place and 18 points behind leader Barcelona, and erased all signs of the improvement Zinedine Zidane’s team showed in consecutive wins in La Liga.

Out of reach of the Liga title and eliminated from the Copa del Rey, Real’s season rides on defending its European title.

And that means subduing the firepower of the Neymar-led PSG on February 14 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

“We know the league is almost impossible, but we need to finish well in the league because it builds our confidence,” Real midfielder Casemiro said. “We know how important the games against Paris are.”

Real only has next week’s match against Real Sociedad to find its stride before PSG.