Ricardo Sá Pinto has been named Sporting Clube de Portugal coach until the end of the season after the club announced the departure of previous incumbent Domingos Paciência.

Paciência, who only arrived last summer, leaves the Lisbon outfit following a run of just two victories in ten games in all competitions this calendar year. Impressive in securing UEFA Europa League progress as group winners, Sporting have struggled for consistency on the domestic stage and are now fourth in the Portuguese Liga, 16 points adrift of leaders SL Benfica.

Pinto leaves his role as youth coach to take over the senior reins temporarily. As a Sporting player, the former Portugal forward had two spells with the club, from 1994-97 and 2000-06. His first assignment as caretaker coach will be the first leg of Sporting's round of 32 tie away to Legia Warszawa on Thursday. The home return takes place in Lisbon on 23 February.