Benfica fire coach Schmidt

LISBON : German Roger Schmidt has been sacked as head coach of Portugal's Benfica, the club said on Saturday.

Schmidt had a contract until June 2026, but he has faced strong opposition from supporters as Benfica won only two of their first four games of the season.

They scrambled a 1-1 draw with Moreirense on Friday and

are fifth in the Portuguese Premier League standings, well behind traditional rivals Sporting and Porto.

Schmidt was hired by Benfica in 2022 and they won the league title in 2023.