Porto part company with Del Neri

European club champions Porto have parted company with their Italian coach Luigi Del Neri before he played a competitive match.

Del Neri took the reins in June from Jose Mourinho, who departed to become coach of Chelsea after leading the Portuguese club to the Champions League title.

Porto president Jorge Pinto da Costa was furious that Del Neri was late back from Italy and missed yesterday’s training session.

Portuguese media reports said the president had decided to fire the Italian who made his name as coach of Chievo in Serie A before leaving to join Porto in June on a three-year contract.

The confirmation came on Saturday morning in a statement posted on the club website, www.fcporto.pt.

It said: “The board of Porto and head coach Luigi Del Neri agreed on Friday night to interrupt their contractual link for private reasons.”