Vasco da Gama coachAlfredo Sampaio quit on Monday after 12 games in charge and wasimmediately replaced by Antonio Lopes for a remarkable sixthstint at the helm.

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Factbox on Hugo Sanchez, who wassacked as Mexico soccer coach on Monday.

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Hugo Sanchez was fired as coach of Mexico’s soccer team on Monday, two weeks after El Tri’s under-23 team was eliminated from Olympic qualifying. The Mexican soccer federation fired Sanchez after 16 months on the job, having failed to deliver on promises of regional titles and an Olympic medal. The decision of the Mexican federation committee, made up of the directors of the first-division clubs,…

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Racing Club coach MiguelMico resigned on Monday in a new twist to the crisis at one ofArgentina’s biggest and most fanatically supported clubs.

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Amid all the conflict over the ownership of his team, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez remains calm and concentrates on nothing but his job. Benitez has a standout record in European competitions and is loved by the fans. They sing his name while loudly expressing their hatred of American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr.

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(Updates with confirmation of Baldini departure)

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Monaco's alarming winless run continued on Monday as Rennes scored a goal in injury-time to record a 2-1 win here and inflict the fourth successive defeat on the 2004 Champions League finalists.

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Croatian international Niko Kranjcar believes Portsmouth's win over Premier League rivals Wigan last weekend was the ideal tonic as the south coast club prepare for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against West Bromwich Albion at Wembley.

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Spanish clubs have fallen behind English clubs in recent years, said players who ply their trade in Spain and other football personalities.

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