Besiktas sack Del Bosque

Newspapers said Besiktas were expected to replace him with Rizespor coach Riza Calimbay. A club official declined to comment on the reports but said the board was expected to make a statement later on Thursday.

Last June, Besiktas reached a multi-million dollar, two-year deal with the former Real Madrid coach in a bid to lift their fortunes after a disappointing end to last season.

But with the winter break drawing to a close, Besiktas are fifth in the first division, 14 points behind leaders Fenerbahce. They were knocked out of the UEFA Cup in December when they lost to Parma in the last game of the group stages.

The final straw was their elimination from the Turkish Cup at the weekend when they lost 3-1 to Konyaspor.

"The Besiktas board decided to part company with Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque after the disappointing results. Rize coach Riza Calimbay is expected to be brought in," said a report in the Radikal newspaper.

Del Bosque, who brought the whole of his former Real Madrid coaching team with him, had replaced Romanian Mircea Lucescu who resigned last year to move to Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk.

Del Bosque steered Real Madrid to two European Cups, two league titles and the World Club Cup.