Fluminense fires coach Mano Menezes after losing first league round

Fluminense, which will compete in the Copa Sudamericana and the FIFA Club World Cup, announced on Sunday the sacking of Mano Menezes as the team's coach, after losing on the first day of the Brazilian Championship against Fortaleza.

“Fluminense FC informs that Mano Menezes is no longer in charge of the team's technical command,” the Rio de Janeiro club announced on its social networks on Sunday.

Menezes, a former Brazil national team coach, had been in charge of 'Flu' since July last year and helped the club stay in the top flight of the Brazilian League last season. 

However, the defeat in the final of the Carioca Championship against Flamengo, their biggest rival, and the poor play shown on Saturday at Fortaleza (2-0), in the first round of the League, have led to his departure.

2023 Copa Libertadores champion Fluminense will play this year's Copa Sudamericana and the Club World Cup, where it was drawn in Group F along with Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) and Ulsan HD (South Korea).

In addition, they will make their debut in the Copa Sudamericana on Tuesday against Once Caldas, in Colombia.

According to the Brazilian press, Fluminense's board of directors made the decision “quickly” and communicated it to Menezes at the hotel, shortly after the defeat against Fortaleza. According to the sports portal 'Globo Esporte', the club considers that the team's play is not evolving as expected. 

The decision was also influenced by the Brazilian coach's friction with some key players in the dressing room, such as former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain player Thiago Silva.

Menezes also had a clash with full-back Marcelo Vieira last season, but on that occasion it was the former Real Madrid player who left the Carioca club.