Porto sack coach Vitor Bruno

LISBON: FC Porto announced the dismissal of Vitor Bruno on Monday, becoming the third of Portugal’s three main clubs to make a coaching change this season.

The 42-year-old replaced new AC Milan boss Sergio Conceicao in the close season but paid the price after Porto lost ground in the title race following back-to-back league defeats this month. Porto’s academy director Jose Tavares will take over as coach on an interim basis, the club said.

Sunday’s 3-1 loss away to Gil Vicente was Porto’s third in a row in all competitions. They were also beaten by Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals of the League Cup on January 7. Porto have slipped to third in the table, four points behind leaders Sporting. Benfica moved into second place over the weekend.

Benfica parted ways with German coach Roger Schmidt at the end of August, while Sporting sacked Ruben Amorim’s successor Joao Pereira just over a month after the former departed for Manchester United.