Leicester sack Cifuentes after six months as boss

Marti Cifuentes has been sacked as Leicester City boss after just six months in charge with the Foxes in the bottom half of the Championship table.

The 43-year-old's final match as manager was Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by lowly Oxford United - Leicester's 11th loss in 29 league games under the Spaniard.

Cifuentes took over in July with the aim of restoring the Foxes to the Premier League after their second relegation from the top flight in three years last season, but has been sacked with them sitting 14th, six points short of the play-off places.

"This has been a difficult decision and not one I have taken lightly," Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said in a statement., external

"I would like to thank Marti for the total commitment he has shown during his time at Leicester City. He gave everything to the role and worked tirelessly to help us achieve our targets."

Cifuentes' exit means Leicester are now looking for their sixth permanent boss since FA Cup-winning Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers was sacked in April 2023.

Inconsistent results have defined Cifuentes' time in charge at the King Power Stadium.

They have strung together back-to-back wins in the league only twice this campaign, while their longest unbeaten run was an eight-game sequence between late August and mid-October that included five draws.

Leicester are 13 places and 31 points worse off than Enzo Maresca's Championship title-winning side at the same stage of the 2023-24 season.

They are nine points clear of the bottom three but with the threat of a points penalty still looming for alleged spending rules breaches relating to the 2023-24 season, their true position in the table remains uncertain.

"I believe this is the right step at this time to improve performances and results, and to act in the best interests of Leicester City Football Club," Srivaddhanaprabha added.

"Marti leaves with our thanks and our best wishes for the future."

Leicester say first-team coach Andy King will take charge on an interim basis, pending the appointment of a permanent replacement.

The Foxes' next Championship fixture is at home to Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

Cifuentes left Queens Park Rangers to take over at the Foxes, and the demands and expectations on him were high from the outset, with this season marking the 10-year anniversary of their stunning Premier League title win of 2016.

When Cifuentes was named as Ruud van Nistelrooy's replacement in July, he spoke of wanting to bring a brand of "fearless" football back to the King Power.

There was a sense of that in December's wins against Derby County and Ipswich Town - the latter game including Abdul Fatawu's sensational strike from well inside his own half - but it has been combined with a complete inability to keep clean sheets.

The 43 goals they have conceded in 29 league games is the third-worst defensive record in the division.

When Cifuentes came in, he was given less than a month to prepare for the season after Van Nistelrooy's protracted exit.

At the time he was lauded as a manager who fit the mould of Maresca - the Italian boss who guided the club to promotion before leaving for the Chelsea job.

It was to be a return to a possession heavy, high-pressing style, but, whatever the aim, the results have been nothing alike.

Like Maresca before him, Cifuentes had a side stacked with Premier League experience to call on.

But with talismanic striker Jamie Vardy among those to leave after last season's relegation, Cifuentes has not had the same quality to rely on.

No money was made available to buy a forward to replace Vardy, with funds raised from the sale of Mads Hermansen, Kasey McAteer, James Justin, Wilfred Ndidi and Conor Coady going towards efforts to balance the books at a time when the club's finances have been heavily scrutinised.

Leicester were one of only three clubs in the division - alongside Oxford and the now administration-hit Sheffield Wednesday - not to pay for a permanent summer transfer.

Instead, Cifuentes could only bring in midfielders Jordan James, Aaron Ramsey and forward Julian Carranza on loan - the latter of whom rarely featured and has left - and pick up veteran goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as a free agent.

Owynn Palmer-Atkin, BBC Radio Leicester commentator

Marti Cifuentes' short spell at Leicester City started with such enthusiasm, but in the end he went out with a whimper.

The promise of a fresh start, a rebuilding process, and introducing younger players felt like the kind of rejuvenation the Foxes needed.

However, slow work in the transfer market hampered that process and Cifuentes, by his own admission, was left to work with players who no longer wanted to be at the club.

The performances, though, never really got going and were fabulously inconsistent.

Incredibly, everyone seemed to know Cifuentes' time was up before he was even told, after the chairman admitted to the media his position was under consideration.

Just hours later, it was officially confirmed.

Where on earth do Leicester City go from here?