Trapattoni named Portuguese club Benfica coach
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-07-06 08:59

Former Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni has been named the new coach of top Portuguese club Benfica, Italian media reported Monday.

The club's website confirmed on Monday that Trapattoni is the new coach, but Benfica gave no details of Trapattoni's contract. It said Trapattoni would be presented at a press conference later Monday.

Trapattoni, 65, is leaving Italy in mid-July after a four-year stint in which he failed to translate his legendary club success onto the top international stage. He has been replaced by former Juventus coach Marcello Lippi.

Benfica, who returned to winning ways in the Portuguese Cup this year after a long dry spell, has been without a coach since former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho moved to Real Madrid at the end of last season.

Fans expect Trapattoni to revive the club's glory years of the early sixties when it won two straight European Cups in 1961 and 1962 and a string of Portuguese titles, powered by the great striker Eusebio.

Trapattoni is the second Italian coach to be hired by a Portuguese club after former Chievo Verona manager Luigi Del Neri signed with Porto, who won this year's European Champions League.

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