Sao Paulo sack Ricardo after Libertadores exit
Reuters - Saturday 07 August 2010, 15:09
RIO DE JANEIRO - Former Brazil captain
Ricardo Gomes has left Sao Paulo without a title after being
told he no longer had a job at the Brazilian club he steered
into the last four of the Libertadores Cup.
Sao Paulo, who lost their Libertadores semi-final to fellow
Brazilians Internacional on the away goals rule, decided on
Friday not to renew Ricardo's contract, which had automatically
expired on their elimination from South America's premier club
competition.
It was a tight finish with Sao Paulo beating Inter 2-1 on
Thursday but going out to striker Alecsandro's goal at their
Morumbi home having lost the away leg 1-0 the previous week.
"(Club) president Juvenal Olmos... together with coach
Ricardo Gomes reached an agreement for the non renewal of the
trainer's contract, which ended with the club's participation in
the Copa Libertadores de America," Sao Paulo said on their
official website.
It was Sao Paulo's fifth consecutive defeat in the knockout
phase of the Libertadores Cup by a fellow Brazilian side
including the 2006 final against Inter. They won the last of
their three South American titles in 2005.
Ricardo, 45-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica
defender and Monaco and Girondins Bordeaux coach who had been in
charge for 13 months, said: "It was a valuable spell. We missed
the title. We came very close.
"The team are strong, they had a good six months before the
Cup, but it didn't go well after that. However, they have
recovered and notched up two wins in important matches. Sao
Paulo will vie for the Brazilian title once again."
Sao Paulo are ninth in the Brazilian championship, 11 points
behind leaders Fluminense after 12 matches.
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