Al Shaab, who sit bottom of the Arabian Gulf League table, have terminated Italian manager Walter Zenga's contract "by mutual consent" after 12 matches in charge of the team.
The Sharjah club released a statement on Saturday night announcing the move and thanking Zenga for his efforts.
Read more: Can Zenga save Al Shaab and what impact can Ten Cate have at Jazira?
Under Zenga, who has also managed Al Jazira, Al Nasr and Al Ain, Shaab did pick up their first win of the season but took just four points.
They have six points from 19 games and are 14 points from safety following a 2-0 home defeat in the derby against Sharjah on Friday.
MOURINHO-UNITED LINK GATHERS PACE
A “happy” Jose Mourinho will become Manchester United’s next manager, according to reports in Italy citing a sister of former Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti.
Mourinho, dismissed by Chelsea two months ago, has been linked to Louis van Gaal’s job.
On Saturday Calciomercato.com claimed Bedy Moratti, the sister of former Inter chief Massimo, had lunch with Mourinho – who led Inter to a treble in 2010 – and his brother in Milan.
“We miss him as a person, but now he’s happy. He’s going to Manchester [United],” she said when asked if he was missed at the club.
DORTMUND FIGHT TO KEEP GUNDOGAN
Borussia Dortmund say they are “fighting” to keep Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, amid reports he will join Pep Guardiola at Manchester City next season.
Gundogan, 25, has a contract until 2017. But according to Spanish newspaper Sport, he has broken off negotiations with Barcelona and told them he expects to join City.
Sport says Gundogan has already told Dortmund he will not extend his contract.
“Really? We should know about that, shouldn’t we? Truth is, we don’t know anything about that,” Dortmund’s official account on Twitter said.
SPALLETTI AT FAULT IN DE ROSSI INJURY
Roma manager Luciano Spalletti has assumed “responsibility” for the injury that has sidelined Daniele de Rossi for a month but gave fans cheer by announcing the imminent return of Kevin Strootman and Francesco Totti.
Italy midfielder De Rossi has been sidelined for a month after suffering a calf injury in Roma’s 2-0 Uefa Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
“I feel the weight of De Rossi’s injury on me, because when you send a player out to play and 10 minutes later he pulls up injured, it means I should have taken more care, and I didn’t,” Spalletti said.
BAYERN WARM UP FOR JUVENTUS
Thomas Muller netted twice as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Darmstadt 3-1 in their last match before their Uefa Champions League clash at Juventus.
With second-placed Borussia Dortmund playing today, Bayern took their chance to go 11 points clear in Germany’s top flight.
“Today’s match had nothing to do with Juventus, we’re just happy to have won and take three more points. It’ll be 0-0 again in Turin,” said Muller when asked about Tuesday’s last-16, first-leg, European clash.
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