Setúbal calling for Hélio

'A Vitória man'
The former Vitória Setúbal captain played for the club for more than a decade and was assistant manager under Norton de Matos. Chairman Chumbita Nunes persuaded him to take charge, saying: "Hélio is a Vitória man and he knows this club well. He has all the qualities to lead the team and this is a challenge for him."

Strike action
Norton de Matos guided Setúbal to third place in the table but stood down as a gesture of solidarity with his players, who claimed not to have been paid since August. Players have threatened to strike for Wednesday's game against SL Benfica unless their back pay arrives by tomorrow, although Setúbal directors say the issue has now been resolved.

Dembele leaves
Meanwhile, 28-year-old defensive midfielder Simarana Dembele has agreed to join Belgian outfit R. Standard de Liège on a one-and-a-half year contract. The former AS Cannes and Nîmes Olympique player was unhappy at his unpaid wages and will link up with Standard at their winter training camp on 3 January. No details have been released of any transfer fee.