Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC have confirmed that head coach Gerard Zaragoza has left the club by mutual terms, effective immediately.
Assistant coach Sebastian Vega and strength and conditioning coach Ioannis Gkiokas also parted ways with BFC on Friday.
"Bengaluru FC have parted ways with Head Coach Gerard Zaragoza under mutual terms. Assistant Coach Sebastian Vega and Strength and Conditioning Coach, Ioannis Gkiokas, have also left the club. The club would like to thank Gerard and his staff for their time at Bengaluru FC and we wish him the best in his pursuit of a newer challenge," BFC said in a statement, announcing the departure of Zaragoza.
Renedy Singh, who is the first-team assistant coach, has been named the interim head coach with immediate effect.
"Assistant Coach Renedy Singh has been named Interim Head Coach, and will take charge of the first team with immediate effect,” the club added.
The decision comes amid the growing uncertainty with the sport in the country with the Indian Super League's (ISL) tender process failing to even attract a single bid.
The Blues, under Zaragoza in their most recent outings, managed to win two games in the AIFF Super Cup against Mohammedan Sporting Club (0-2) and Gokulam Kerala (0-4), but were ousted by Punjab FC (4-5) on penalties, knocking them out of the competition.
Zaragoza, who was appointed the head coach in December 2023, helped the Blues finish fourth in the ISL 2024-25 season with 38 points from 24 games, winning 11 matches and going down eight times.
The Spanish tactician, who instilled an attacking 4-3-3 formation into the side, scored 40 goals during the season, the fifth highest in the league, while conceding 31.
Bengaluru FC, having not been in contention for any titles the previous season, reached the ISL final under the Spaniard, but ran out of gas against Mohun Bagan in Kolkata.
This also ends Zaragoza's second term in Bengaluru FC colours, having already been a part of BFC's ISL-winning squad during the 2018-19 season, acting as a deputy to his fellow country-mate Carles Cuadrat.