Crisis-hit Sporting fire coach Mihajlovic after just nine days

LISBON: Crisis-hit Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday fired coach Sinisa Mihajlovic just nine days after he was apppointed by former club president Bruno de Carvalho.

“Sporting have decided to end his probationary period and cancel his contract,” said Jose Sousa Cintra, the club’s new president.

“We will seek a new coach, who should be presented by Monday.”

Mihajlovic was recruited on a three-year contract by De Carvalho on June 18, five days before his dismissal by a general meeting of club members.

The crisis at the club began when Sporting lost a Europa League game to Atletico Madrid in April and De Carvalho tweeted ferocious criticism of the players.

When they responded demanding “respect”, he called the players “spoilt brats” and suspended 19 of them, only to back down ahead of the next match.

Shortly before Sporting lost the Portuguese Cup final to unfancied Aves in May, a 50-strong mob of fans invaded the training centre, attacked the squad, savagely beating some players.

Nine players including Portugal internationals at the World Cup Rui Patricio, William Carvalho, Bruno Fernandes and Gelson Martins have broken their deals with the club since the attack.

Coach Jorge Jesus also quit the team, which paved the way for former AC Milan and Torino boss Mihajlovic.

Meanwhile, UEFA said on Wednesday it had banned Mihajlovic’s former club AC Milan from the Europa League next season for violating financial fair play rules after the club took on risky levels of debt.

“The club is excluded from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the next two seasons,” UEFA said in a statement.

The Italian club has already qualified for the Europa League from 2018-2019 so the ban will take effect from then.

However, Milan said later Wednesday that they will appeal against the decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, seeking for a prompt review of the ruling.