Flamengo fired coach Stival Cuca on Friday, two days after the team’s loss to Ceara in the Brazil Cup.
Club directors ended Cuca’s contract saying they needed to make changes in order to put the team back on track before the upcoming Brazilian championship. Cuca’s replacement had not been selected.
Flamengo, Brazil’s most popular club, lost to visiting Ceara 2-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Brazilian Cup, and now it needs to win the second leg in Fortaleza by at least two goals to stay alive in the competition.
Flamengo begins the Brazilian championship season against Cruzeiro on April 23.
The club won only one of its last five matches under Cuca. Among the team’s recent losses was a 4-1 defeat to rival Fluminense in the final of the second stage of the Rio de Janeiro championship on April 3.
Cuca, who hasn’t won any major titles in his seven-year career, coached Flamengo in 12 matches, winning five, losing four and drawing three.
