Couceiro named Porto coach to replace Fernandez

European champions Porto have named Portuguese Pedro Couceiro as coach to replace Victor Fernandez. The 42-year-old has quit Portuguese Premier League club Vitoria Setubal to take the Porto job, signing an 18-month contract.

Couceiro started his coaching career in the second division Alverca club in 2002.

"No Portuguese coach would refuse an offer from a team as big as Porto," he said before the announcement was made.

Fernandez, who was sacked on Monday, said the decision to fire him had been totally unexpected.

"The truth is I never imagined I would be sacked," Fernandez said.

"The good thing was that I didn't suffer because it all happened so suddenly."

The Spaniard signed a two-year contract with Porto in August after European Cup-winning coach Jose Mourinho's replacement Luigi Del Neri was sacked just two months into the job.

Fernandez steered Porto to victory in December's World Club Cup final against South American champions Once Caldas.

Porto renew the defence of their European crown when they host Inter in the first leg of the first knockout stage of the Champions League later this month.

¤ Former Portugal international defender Abel Xavier has signed for Roma after successfully completing a trial with the Serie A club. The 32-year-old Xavier, who played briefly in Italy for Bari during the 1995-96 season, was out of contract after leaving German club Hanover 96. The right-back played in England for Everton and Liverpool and also had a loan spell with Galatasaray in Turkey.