FC Porto appoints new manager
Argentinian Martín Anselmi, currently at Mexico's Cruz Azul, will take over FC Porto's new manager.
What?
Martín Anselmi, 39, will take over as FC Porto’s manager and is expected to arrive in Portugal soon to sign a contract, according reports.
If the deal goes through, Anselmi would coach his final game with Mexico’s Cruz Azul next Saturday, January 25.
Notably, this would mark the end of a cycle highlighted by moments of high performance, though without the championship titles the management had hoped for.
The coach’s release clause, set at around $5 million, is reportedly being negotiated directly between the clubs, according to information from David Espinosa of FOX Sports and ESPN sources in Portugal.
This detail underscores the FC Porto’s interest in securing the Argentine strategist, who is said to already have a pre-agreement signed with the Dragons for the next two and a half seasons.
Sacked manager
The news follows Monday’s announcement that the club had dismissed Vítor Bruno, six months after taking on the job.
The dismissal made the club the third of Portugal’s three main clubs to make a coaching change this season after Benfica parted ways with German coach Roger Schmidt at the end of August, and Sporting sacked Ruben Amorim’s successor Joao Pereira just over a month after the former departed for Manchester United.
The decision was announced last night after the club’s defeat against 9th placed Gil Vicente (1-3), 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.
Porto’s academy director Jose Tavares took over as manager on an interim basis, the club said.
Unconvincing performance
Vítor Bruno was announced as the head coach of FC Porto on June 9, 2023, after a 12-year tenure as an assistant to Sérgio Conceição. He was the first manager of the club’s new President, André Villas-Boas, and he had a contract valid until 2026.
Vítor Bruno’s debut as head coach was turbulent. Reports suggested an alleged “betrayal” by the then-assistant to Sérgio Conceição. Vítor Bruno was forced to clarify in a statement that he had informed the former FC Porto manager about receiving an offer to coach the first team, to which Conceição had understood.
Under the management of Vítor Bruno, FC Porto achieved 18 wins, three draws, and eight losses in 29 matches.
The coach leaves the team in 3rd place in the Primeira Liga with 40 points, four points behind leaders Sporting and one point behind second-place Benfica.
In the Europa League, the team remains in the qualification zone for the competition;s playoff.
During Vítor Bruno’s tenure, FC Porto was eliminated by Moreirense in the Round of 16 of the Portuguese Cup and, more recently, by Sporting in the semi-finals of the League Cup.
It’s true— under Bruno’s guidance, FC Porto lost games it should have won.