Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2018-19 champions Bengaluru FC have parted ways with head coach Carles Cuadrat, the club announced on Wednesday. This comes after the Blues slipped to a third consecutive Hero ISL 2020-21 defeat on Tuesday, a first for them ever since joining the league ahead of the 2017-18 campaign. Naushad Moosa has been named the interim head coach after Cuadrat’s departure.

"I would like to thank the owners and management whose vision has been excellent, players who have always been at my service, the staff that I have worked with and that have stood by my side across five seasons and the fans, who have been tremendous in their support, and without whom we could never have carved out so many beautiful nights at the Kanteerava and away.

“I wish the club all the luck through the season and beyond. This club and the people associated with it will forever be in my heart,” the Spaniard, who was at the Bengaluru helm for two and a half seasons, said in a press release issued by the club.

Cuadrat, who spent two years at Bengaluru as an assistant to Albert Roca, took over the reins in 2018. During his Hero ISL tenure as Bengaluru head coach, the Blues became the first and only team to top the league table and eventually win the trophy in Hero ISL 2018-19. In his 50 matches at the helm, Cuadrat has 24 victories, 13 losses and a win percentage of 48%.

“I want to express gratitude for everything that Carles has done for this wonderful football club. In the five years he has spent with us, he has been through all the ups and downs we’ve experienced at BFC. He was around when we lost the AFC Cup final and then the ISL final, before leading us to the ISL title on that night in Mumbai,” said Parth Jindal, Bengaluru FC's director.