Santos closed the signing of Cléber Xavier, former Auxiliary of Tite, to assume the position of coach of Alvinegro. Matheus Bachi, son of Tite, also arrives as an assistant to the new technical committee. The announcement should be made by the club in the coming hours.
Tite’s assistant in the last 24 years, the Gaucho de Alegrete will now have, at the age of 61, the first experience in the technical command of a team. He had already closed the partnership with the coach at the end of last year, seeking to take a solo flight.
Tite, who was close to taking charge of Corinthians last week, announced a career break to take care of health.
The position in Santos was vacant since the resignation of Portuguese Pedro Cabininha, on the 14th. Since then, the club probted a series of names and was close to announcing the return of Argentine Jorge Sampaoli, while permanent assistant César Sampaio led the team on the field.
The new coach finds Santos in a complicated situation in the Brazilian Championship. Returning to play in Serie A after debuting in the second division last year, the team is the penultimate in the qualifying table after six rounds, with a victory, a draw and four losses.
The bad campaign caused fans to invade CT Rei Pelé this Monday (28) to charge the players.
The team’s next commitment is for the third phase of the Brazilian Cup, against CRB, on Thursday (1st), at 18h (Brasília time), in Vila Belmiro.
At the beginning of work at Santos, Xavier will not be able to count on Neymar, who is still being treated after feeling a left thigh injury on the 16th, in match against Atlético Mineiro.
The new coach has worked with the player in two World Cups in 2018 and 2022. In both, the team fell in the quarterfinals to Belgium and Croatia, respectively.
For the national team, Xavier won the Copa America, in 2019, for clubs, the main titles are the Copa Libertadores and the Club World Cup, for Corinthians, the gaucho for Grêmio and Inter, and the carioca with Flamengo.
