Calleja no longer Villarreal manager - club statement

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Atletico Madrid v Villarreal - Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - February 23, 2020 Villarreal coach Javier Calleja REUTERS/Susana Vera

(Reuters) - Villarreal have parted ways with manager Javi Calleja after the Spaniard guided them to a fifth-place finish in La Liga to qualify for the Europa League, the club announced on Monday.

Villarreal were eighth in the standings before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the season but Calleja's side enjoyed an upturn in form after the restart, winning seven of their 11 matches to move up the standings.