Miguel Coelho is staying put as FC Porto’s coach. The team announced his contract extension on Friday. Coelho has been with the team for two years, coming over from Leixões. Last season, they won the national championship. This year, they took third place, losing to Benfica in the league semifinals.
The team won’t look the same next year, though. Eight players are leaving: Janaína Vieira, Gabi Coelho, Bruna Guedes, Erika Mercado, Puck Hoogers, Brianna Kadiku, Sara Rohr, and Kyla Swanson. Janaína has been with the team since 2021 and won three national championships and two super cups.
Gabi Coelho and Bruna Guedes joined in 2023 and won a championship. The others came this season and helped win the Iberian Cup and qualify for the Champions League.
FC Porto tweeted about the departures, saying “Voleibol: eight athletes are out.”
Building for the future
Coelho is already planning for next season. He started rebuilding the team in December. “The administration suggested we renew the staff, and we did. Last year, our hiring timing was bad. But our president knows that getting ahead of the game can be key to having a great team.” He wants FC Porto to reach the level of top European teams like those in Italy, Turkey, and Poland.
Coelho hopes to get the team to the level of France and Germany, which are among the best in Europe. He’s optimistic about the future and is working to make FC Porto a top team.