BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Espanyol coach Manolo González was fired on Tuesday, hours after his side was knocked out of the Spanish Cup in the first round by a fourth-tier team.
The 47-year-old González was already under pressure after Espanyol started the season with six losses in 10 league matches to leave it 18th in La Liga.
Tuesday’s 4-3 loss at Sestao River, after extra time, proved to be the final straw.
“RCD Espanyol have decided to bring Manolo González’s tenure as coach of the club to an end,” the club said in a statement.
“The two parties part ways after more than three seasons and 107 official games in charge of the first team, a period during which he left his personal and professional mark, both on the pitch and in the team’s day-to-day operations.”
González took charge of Espanyol in March 2024 and led it straight to promotion to the top flight.
No replacement has been named yet. Espanyol’s next match is on Friday, at Villarreal.
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FILE - Espanyol's head coach Manolo Gonzalez walks on the field after the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort, File)
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A U.S. cruise ship on a residential world voyage suspended its operations in Cambodia due to fuel costs, forcing hundreds of passengers to abandon their floating homes.
The Odyssey set sail two years ago on a three-year voyage to the seven continents marketed as combining long-term living at sea with global travel.
The Florida-based company said monthly fuel expenses per cabin that historically averaged $1,800 has recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia during the war in Iran. Villa Vie Residences said it sought to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but was unable to offset the surge in fuel costs.
“We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses,” it said. “Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees" while it tries to restructure.
Sihanoukville Autonomous Port said in a statement last week that the ship docked on Oct. 23 for a five-day visit. It was to head to Vietnam but remained in the port Wednesday.
The ship carried 203 passengers with 15 nationalities, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members. It had a capacity of 650 residents.
Passengers have been told to leave the ship, but the crew's status was unclear.
The Odyssey had a confirmed itinerary into November 2027. The company planned for a second residential cruise ship to enter service in early 2029, but the statement on the suspension of the Odyssey's voyage did not address the second ship.
This version has corrected the date when the voyage was expected to end from 2030 to 2027.
FILE - The Odyssey, a U.S. cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences is docked at Harland & Wolf ship repair facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, on Aug. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison, File)
