Sampaoli quits Santos after second-place finish

The 59-year-old was under contract until the end of 2020, but according to the Brazilian press, decided to leave because of his poor relations with the club’s president and the shortage of money to strengthen his squad.

“Once the coach communicated the resignation, the case was forwarded to the club’s legal and human resources departments,” wrote the Sao Paulo State Club in a statement.

The team’s highly attacking style made them the sensation of the Brazilian season and carried them to second, 16 points behind Libertadores champions Flamengo, despite a much smaller budget than many other teams.