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Ludogorets sack Portuguese coach Ribeiro

SOFIA (Reuters) - The troubled relationship between Bulgarian champions Ludogorets and Portuguese coach Bruno Ribeiro has ended with the Razgrad-based side sacking him for "not fulfilling his commitments", the club said on Wednesday. "After repeated unsuccessful attempts to finalise the negotiations to terminate coach Bruno Ribeiro's contract by mutual agreement... the club initiated disciplinary proceedings, which ended with a unilateral termination of his contract," Ludogorets said in a statement. Last month, Ludogorets, who have won the Bulgarian league title for the last four years, said they started negotiations to terminate the contract of 39-year-old Ribeiro following a series of disappointing results. The Portuguese, who became Ludogorets's first foreign coach by signing a two-year contract in June, has been severely criticised by local pundits, media and fans over the club's dreadful start to the new season. Ludogorets splashed out on nine players, including four Brazilians and two Romanians, but were knocked out of the Champions League in the second preliminary round 3-1 on aggregate by Moldovian minnows Milsami Orhei. The Eagles also lost 1-0 to Cherno More Varna in the Bulgarian Super Cup. Ludogorets have hired former Bulgaria striker Eduard Eranosyan, who won league titles with Lokomotiv Plovdiv in 2004 and Angolan club Kabuscorp in 2013, to replace Ribeiro. (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Ken Ferris)