El Sackico

plural El Sackicos

1. humorousball gamesA match between two underperforming football clubs, after which the manager of the losing side is at risk of being sacked.

   Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui and Wolves' Gary O'Neil are the managers with the two shortest odds - by some way - to lose their job next. So much so the game has been dubbed 'El Sackico' on social media.

   2024 December 9, Emlyn Begley, “Lopetegui and O'Neil stay focused before 'El Sackico'”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 14 Dec 2024

   3 more examples

   In the past Blackburn's bottom of the table home defeat to lowly Bolton would have been referred to as a 'basement battle' or a 'relegation six-pointer', but with Steve Kean and Owen Coyle under real pressure going into the game it was, naturally, 'El Sackico'.

   2011 December 21, Chris Mendes, “Top 10 El Clasico puns: El Cashico (City v Chelsea), El Thrashico (1-6 City) and more football matches renamed”, in talkSPORT, archived from the original on 28 Sep 2023

   With Newcastle, Chelsea, Porto and Bournemouth next up it is difficult to see from where a first Postecoglou win will come before what could surely be the mother of all El Sackicos against Manchester United.

   2025 October 3, Barry Glendenning, “‘He’s behind you!’ Is Postecoglou the real villain in Nottingham Forest’s panto?”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2025

   The other side of the international break feels about 400 years away at this time, but when we do get there we have United v Spurs waiting for us. If Carrick and De Zerbi both get there, El Sackico awaits.

   2026 September 16, Dave Tickner, “Premier League sack race: Roberto De Zerbi and Michael Carrick heading for El Sackico”, in Football365, archived from the original on 22 Sep 2026