Sporting Lisbon fires coach after poor results

By foxsports
Published

Sporting Lisbon has fired coach Domingos Paciencia after a run of poor results left the club 16 points behind Portuguese league leader and crosstown rival Benfica.

Sporting is fourth in the league and out of the running for the title it last won 10 years ago. Angry fans insulted the 43-year-old Paciencia and players after a 2-0 loss at Maritimo on Saturday.

Paciencia moved to Sporting last year after leading Braga to an all-Portuguese Europa League final against FC Porto.

The club says that youth team coach and former player Sa Pinto will take charge ahead of Thursday's Europa League game against Legia Warsaw.

Sporting will play in the Portuguese Cup final in May.