SAPPORO (Kyodo) -- Relegated Consadole Sapporo announced the departure of manager Mihailo Petrovic on Wednesday after seven years in charge.

The 67-year-old guided Sapporo to fourth in the J-League first division in his first season in 2018. They were League Cup runners-up the following year, but his team struggled this season, which included a stretch of eight straight defeats.

Petrovic managed Sanfrecce Hiroshima between 2006 and 2011 and was also in charge of Urawa Reds from the following year, winning the League Cup in 2016.