Friday March 4, 2005

Passarella arrives in Brazil to sign with Corinthians

SAO PAULO: Argentine coach Daniel Passarella arrived in Brazil on Wednesday to finalise contract negotiations with three-time national champions Corinthians.

Passarella and Corinthians' partner Media Sports Investments, or MSI, were expected to meet later to discuss the final details, MSI spokesman Fernando Mello said.

“We're very close to reaching an agreement,'' the 52-year-old Passarella told Radio Jovem Pan as he arrived in Sao Paulo. “We should be able to sort out the final details very soon.''

Passarella, an all-star defender who coached Argentina's national team, was without a club since leaving Mexico's Monterrey in January 2004.

Corinthians fired coach Tite on Tuesday for failing to turn the club into a consistent winner despite MSI's high-spending campaign to build a world-class team.

Corinthians' 1-0 loss to rival Sao Paulo in the state championship on Sunday was the club's fourth defeat in 10 games, leaving them 12 points off the lead and practically out of contention.

Passarella, who also coached Argentina's River Plate and Italy's Parma, was a star of Argentina's squad that won the 1978 World Cup.

With funds from MSI, Corinthians acquired striker Carlos Tevez from Boca Juniors, and midfielder Javier Mascherano from River Plate. MSI signed Tevez for a reported US$20 million, the most ever paid out by a Brazilian club. – AP

News

Passarella arrives in Brazil to sign with Corinthians