Soccer: Porto unload coach Luigi Del Neri

European champions Porto have fired new coach Luigi Del Neri. Media reports cited repeated absences.


Del Neri and Porto officials agreed to terminate the contract "for personal reasons" No replacement was named.

Former Brazil boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo said he was offered the job, but decided to stay with Santos, who are top of the Campeonato Brasileiro. Del Neri, formerly the coach at Italy's Serie A club Chievo Verona, was hired in June to replace Jose Mourinho, who left to become manager at London club Chelsea.


Porto won the Champions League final in May with a 3-0 victory over Monaco and are also the Portuguese champions.