Rivera replaces Vidal at Luparense

UEFA Futsal Cup finalists Luparense Calcio A5 have sacked Spanish coach Federico Montaldo Vidal due to disappointing Serie A1 form and appointed his compatriot Sito Rivera, also in charge of Romania and formerly FC CIP Deva.

League struggle
Vidal joined the Italian champions at the start of the season and in November a 5-4 win against ElPozo Murcia FS took them into the last four of the UEFA Futsal Cup for the first time. However, in their bid for a fourth straight Serie A1 title they lie third, six points behind leaders Marca Futsal.

Rivera appointed
Rivera, 53, coached several top Spanish clubs before taking charge of Japan. Last summer he took the helm of Romania and their leading team FC CIP Deva, coaching them in this season's UEFA Futsal Cup, but was available after the club withdrew from competition for financial reasons. He remains with Romania.

Timely decision
"We cannot thank Vidal enough for all he has achieved, in particular qualification for the UEFA Futsal Cup," said club chairman Stefano Zarattini. "But we could not carry on the way things were going as we risked destroying what have constructed. However, it's not only the coach who was guilty. Soon we'll be in the decisive phase of the season: the Italian Cup in March, UEFA Futsal Cup in April and the championship play-offs: we had to do something now or it could have been too late."