Real Madrid Basketball has fired its current coach, Pablo Laso, despite the fact that he still had a year left on his contract, according to several media outlets from the capital. The now interim coach, Chus Mateo, becomes the top figure next season.
The Madrid team considers that after the heart attack suffered by Pablo Laso last month during the playoff tie against Baskonia, the most prudent thing is for him not to return to the bench. The decision of the sports management has been resounding.
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The decision is for Chus Mateo, the assistant coach who replaced him in the ACB final and who has been his right-hand man since 2014, to start next season as first-team coach. Real Madrid would have made several proposals to Laso to keep him linked to the team, reviewing his situation from time to time, and based on medical judgements.
Laso, whose contract expired in June 2023, wanted to continue leading the team, but the club has determined that the best solution for both parties is to put an end to his time in Madrid. He leaves after more than a decade at the helm of the ship with a track record that amounts to 22 titles, including the 2015 and 2018 Euroleagues.