Marseille hires Andre Villas-Boas as coach

andre-villas-boas

Zenit's headcoach Andre Villas-Boas stands watching the Champions League Round of 16 first leg soccer match between Benfica and Zenit. (Armando Franca/AP)

MARSEILLE, France — French club Marseille has hired Andre Villas-Boas as coach, hoping he can turn the former European champion into a contender again.

The 1993 European Cup-winning club, which is owned by former Los Angeles Dodger owner Frank McCourt, says Villas-Boas has signed a two-year contract .

The 41-year-old Portuguese previously coached Chelsea, Tottenham, Zenit St. Petersburg and Shanghai SIPG.

Villas-Boas takes over a team which last won the French league in 2010. A fifth-place finish this season meant Marseille failed to qualify for European competitions.

Marseille was the Europa League runner-up a year ago but failed to advance from the group stage this season under coach Rudi Garcia.

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