Oțelul Galați presented its new coach after Stjepan Tomas was dismissed

Oțelul Galați have introduced Rui Duarte as the team’s new head coach during the international break caused by national-team matches. The 48-year-old Portuguese succeeds Croatian Stjepan Tomas, who was dismissed after the home defeat to Corvinul Hunedoara, the Galati side’s third consecutive loss.

The club officially announced the appointment in a message posted on its Facebook account: “Let’s give Oțelul’s new coach the welcome he deserves! Bem-vindo, Rui Pedro Viegas e Silva Gomes Duarte”.

Rui Duarte has signed a contract running until the end of the current season, with an option to extend it for another year. He becomes the fourth Portuguese coach in Romania’s SuperLiga, after Filipe Coelho at Universitatea Craiova, Nuno Campos at Dinamo, and Ricardo Sousa at Petrolul Ploiești.

During his career, Duarte has also coached Maritimo, Trofense, Casa Pia and Farense, as well as Athletic Club in Brazil’s second tier. The coach parted ways with the Brazilian club in February and was a free agent.

Rui Duarte’s debut on Oțelul’s bench will come against FCSB at the National Arena. Before the match, FCSB sit 11th with 12 points, while Oțelul are 14th, in the relegation play-off position, with 10 points. Oțelul are the third team in the league to change coaches during this break, after FCSB and Csikszereda.