Venezuela coach offers resignation after ‘political’ visit

MADRID (AP) — Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel offered his resignation after the 3-1 friendly win against Argentina on Friday, saying the team was used politically during its trip to Spain.

He told a news conference he will still be at the helm when the team faces a Catalunya side in a friendly on Monday in the Spanish city of Girona, but says his future will be decided in talks with federation officials in the coming days.

Dudamel says he is not happy with the political use of a visit by a government official before Friday’s match in Madrid.

The political turmoil in Venezuela increased when President Nicolas Maduro’s re-election last year was deemed illegitimate by several governments.