RAPID Bucharest suspended Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro last night after fans protested at the team's Uefa Cup exit, the Romanian club's owner said.
Riot police detained 12 supporters after angry fans threw stones at club owner Fahti Taher and shareholder George Copos following the 1-1 first round, second leg draw with Germany's VfL Wolfsburg that sent them out 2-1 on aggregate.
"We've decided
that Peseiro is suspended," Taher revealed to reporters, adding that the club's deputy coaches would lead the team until a new coach is appointed.
He gave no further details on Peseiro, who signed a three-year contract in June, Taher telling reporters at the time the coach cannot be fired unless Rapid pay him 500,000 ($697,400) compensation.
Some 1,000 supporters protested against Peseiro and the club's officials, accusing them of incompetence, during and after the match. About 200 riot police then detained the dozen violent fans who will be fined, according to a police spokesman. Rapid are 11th in the Romanian championship on 13 points, nine behind leaders Dinamo Bucharest.
Rangers' Champions League conquerors FBK Kaunas saw their European campaign ended for the season by Sampdoria, who won 2-1 in Lithuania for a 7-1 aggregate.
Schalke progressed with a 5-2 aggregate after a 1-1 draw at Apoel Nicosia. Russia's Spartak Moscow and German clubs Stuttgart and Hamburg also went through to the group stages of the competition with aggregate victories last night.
The full article contains 250 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
