Roger Schmidt's spell as Benfica manager is over, less than 24 hours after a dubious added time penalty secured a last gasp 1-1 draw at Moreirense.
Eagles president Rui Costa, who looked like a defeated man himself in Moreira de Cónegos, announced the departure of the German coach at a press conference in Seixal.
"Roger Schmidt is no longer the coach of Benfica. I confirm this. I want to thank him for all his efforts, two titles and for the players he has trained."
The club had already sent a statement to the Securities Market Commission (CMVM), informing them that negotiations to terminate the contract were underway.
Costa is likely to have a successor lined up, Leonardo Jardim rumoured to be the next boss at Estádio da Luz.
The move comes as no surprise with the Eagles looking like a shadow of the side that won the 2022/23 Primeira Liga in Schmidt's first season in charge. The club extended his contract to 2026 midway through the title winning campaign, ensuring that the German will be entitled to a healthy payout.
Despite Schmidt's departure, Benfica are a mess on and off the field with Rui Costa in charge of a dysfunctional scouting network and unprofessional media relations department.
The departures of players including Enzo Fernández, Alex Grimaldo, Gonçalo Ramos, Rafa and João Neves has proven to be a big problem, Benfica continually buying average players below the required calibre to take the club back to the summit of Portuguese football.
With Leonardo Jardim lined up to be Schmidt's successor, Rui Costa has bought himself some time. The president had every reason to sack the manager at the end of the previous campaign.
Benfica finished 10 points off the pace in the Primeira Liga were eliminated by Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Taça de Portugal semi-finals. They regressed in the Champions League, following up their group win over PSG and Juventus with a third placed finish behind Real Sociedad and Inter Milan.
It's unlikely any manager will be able to guide the current squad anywhere near champions Sporting or Porto, who have recently been revitalised under the leadership of André Villas-Boas.
Listen to the Portugoal podcast on Monday when Tom Kundert and I will discuss Schmidt's sacking and the current state of Benfica in more detail.
