ISL: FC Goa part ways with Armando Sadiku after 'obscene goal celebration'

In a shocking move, FC Goa parted ways with their highest goal scorer in the 2024-25 Indian Super League Armando Sadiku on Monday.

"FC Goa and Armando Sadiku have mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect," the club said in a statement.

Sadiku, who joined the team last summer, scored 10 goals and provided two assists for FC Goa as the team finished second in the ISL league stage behind winners Mohun Bagan Super Giants and made it to the play-offs.

Sadiku had a brilliant start to the season, scoring eight goals in his first seven matches for the club. He, however, struggled later in the season, adding only two more goals to the tally.

Sadiku even scored in the second leg of the semi-final against Bengaluru FC, which FC Goa lost on aggregate despite winning the match.

Coming off the bench in the 75th minute, the Albanian striker found the net with two minutes remaining in the match. He celebrated the goal, making an obscene and inappropriate gesture.

While the club maintained that the two parties have gone separate ways mutually, a report in Times of India indicates that Sadiku's celebration did not sit well with FC Goa management.

The team is reported to have issued the player a showcase notice citing his behaviour to be "unbecoming of a professional athlete and reflected serious lack of discipline."

Sadiku's departure from the FC Goa setup comes at a time when the team is chasing a continental spot via the 2025 Super Cup.

The team will be in action next in the 2025 Super Cup, where they take on Gokulam Kerala on April 21, 2025 in the Round of 16 to start their campaign.