Internacional hires Eduardo Baptista to lead relegation fight

Internacional has officially hired Eduardo Baptista as its new head coach to lead the team through the remainder of the Campeonato Brasileiro season. Baptista replaces Paulo Pezzolano, who was dismissed following a period of instability. The new manager faces the critical task of rescuing the club from the relegation zone, as Internacional currently sits in 18th place with 28 points, with only ten matches remaining in the competition.

To secure Baptista, Internacional negotiated his release from Criciúma, paying an estimated R$ 600,000 fine. Baptista leaves Criciúma in sixth place in Série B. In response, Criciúma has appointed Umberto Louzer, on loan from Guarani, to lead the team for the rest of the Série B campaign.

The coaching change has sparked mixed reactions. While technical director Abel Braga expressed full support for Baptista, he described the club's current struggle against relegation as a ‘ridiculous objective’ for a team of Internacional's stature. Additionally, Criciúma's football director, Eder Citadin, expressed disappointment regarding the circumstances of Baptista's departure, criticizing the lack of perceived loyalty in the sport.