Greek club sacks coach Bento despite topping table

pulse 17:52 - 06 March 2017

Coach Paulo Bento, pictured in 2016, lasted only seven months with Olympiakos, who dropped out early in the Champions League but are still alive in the Europa League

Portugals Paulo Bento on Monday became the third coach to be sacked this season by Greek champions Olympiakos despite being top of the league.

Coming off their third straight Super League defeat just 24 hours earlier, the club said that under-20 coach Vasilis Vouzas will take over on an interim basis.

Bento lasted only seven months with Olympiakos, who dropped out early in the Champions League but are still alive in the Europa League with a crucial match against Turkey's Besiktas on Thursday.

Olympiakos might be top in Greece but they equalled their worst record in the league with three straight losses for the first time since 1996 and a third straight match without a goal.

Other coaches sacked by Olympiakos this season were Portugal's Marco Silva and the Spaniard Victor Sanchez.

In three seasons with the under-20s Vouzas, 51, lost only twice in 85 matches.