Jorge Costa confirmed as AEL coach

AEL Limassol FC have named former SC Braga and CFR 1907 Cluj boss Jorge Costa as their new coach on the eve of the UEFA Europa League Group C tie against Fenerbahçe SK.

The Cypriot title holders parted company with previous coach Charalampos Christodoulou on Monday, with Costa quickly emerging as his likely replacement. A club statement released today read: "The AEL board announces the appointment of Jorge Costa. The Portuguese coach has signed a deal until the end of the 2013/14 season." Michalis Sergiou will be Costa's assistant.

As a player, Costa enjoyed his best years at FC Porto where he won eight Liga titles and five Portuguese Cups as well as 2002/03 UEFA Cup and 2003/04 UEFA Champions League winners' medals under boss José Mourinho, who made the defender his captain. He later played for Charlton Athletic FC and R. Standard de Liège, and was capped 50 times by Portugal between 1995 and 2002.

The 41-year-old split with eventual Romanian champions CFR towards the end of last season after a 5-0 defeat by FC Rapid Bucureşti, despite his side topping the Romanian table. He had previously been in charge at Braga, SC Olhanense and A. Académica de Coimbra. AEL have taken one point from their first two Group C games and are four points off the pace in the Cypriot title race.