Santos won promotion back to Brazil’s Serie A with a 2-0 win over Coritiba on Monday as Pele’s former club secured top flight status a year after being relegated for the first time.

Santos, who celebrated their 112th anniversary earlier this year, were relegated in December when they lost 2-1 to Fortaleza in the final round of fixtures.

However, goals first-half from Wendel and Romulo Otero on Monday ensured they bounced straight back up and took them to within touching distance of the Serie B title.

“The joy of making history. A source of honour and joy,” Brazilian forward Guilherme told ge.globo.

“Truly, a difficult year. The fans deserve it too much, every member of staff at the centre, the board of directors. I’m at a loss for words.”

Late Brazilian great Pele helped Santos become one of the most famous clubs in world football, with the coastal city side enjoying a golden era in the 1950s and 1960s that saw them win 10 state and six Brazilian league titles.

In addition to Pele, Santos have produced a host of elite players such as Neymar, former AC Milan forward Robinho and Real Mardrid’s Rodrygo.

“It was the most difficult year in the history of this club,” midfielder Joao Schmidt said. “A lot of courage … It’s almost mission accomplished, we’re looking for the title.”

Santos have a five-point lead in Serie B with two games to go

-Reuters

Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho has been suspended for one match and fined by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) for criticising the performance of the Video Assistant Referee after a 3-2 Super Lig win at Trabzonspor.

Trabzonspor were awarded two penalties in the second half following VAR interventions and with the scores level at 2-2 Mourinho was incensed when a challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel went unpunished.

The Portuguese coach suggested VAR official Atilla Karaoglan had missed the incident, adding that the Turkish league “smells bad” and that international fans had no reason to watch the league.

The TFF said in a statement that Mourinho’s comments were “contrary to sportsmanship, sports ethics or fair-play understanding”.

The governing body added Mourinho’s remarks were “intended to damage the reputation of the TFF, to lower the value of Turkish football, to overshadow or discredit the impartiality of referees and other competition officials”.

Mourinho was fined 600,000 Turkish lira ($18,000) for unsportsmanlike behaviour and 58,500 for his conduct towards the opposing team’s fans.

Fenerbahce Vice President Acun Ilicali was also fined for criticising the refereeing in a statement on the club’s website.

-Reuters

Two days shy of his 78th birthday, Brazil’s oldest professional club coach, Aderbal Lana, penned a fresh deal with Amazonian outfit Princesa do Solimoes on Friday.

Lana returns for his fourth spell with the club, who made the announcement on social media including a Star Wars twist, saying: “Lana’s return. May the Force be with you, Professor”, with a photoshopped image of the coach in a Jedi costume.

With more than half a century of experience under his belt, Lana has managed 25 clubs, mainly in Brazil’s fourth division, Serie D, and the Amazon championship.

Lana has moved clubs four times this year.

“Age is in people’s heads. You can be 10, 20 or 30 years old, it all depends on what you want to do and how you want to live your life,” Lana told Brazilian newspaper Globo Ge in April, when he was appointed Monte Roraima coach.

“I’m a very happy, healthy and calm guy, so my biggest motivation is not to get old and die slowly,” he added.

Lana’s most notable successes have come in the Amazon championship, winning the title on nine occasions, including four with Nacional-AM, three with Sao Raimundo and once each with Rio Negro-AM and most recently Manaus in 2017.

-Reuters