Upheaval at Alanyaspor: João Pereira is out, Ugur Ucar takes his place

Upheaval at Alanyaspor: João Pereira is no longer the coach of the Turkish club. The Portuguese coach is paying a heavy price for the team’s recent poor results and is stepping down after a run of four losses in five games. The club has officially confirmed the mutual termination of his contract and immediately announced the name of his successor: Ugur Ucar.

Club president Hasan Cavusoglu explained the reasons for the separation; during the new coach’s introduction, he made no secret of his disappointment with the team’s performance. The president emphasized that Alanyaspor is not a club accustomed to frequently changing head coaches, but admitted that parting ways with Pereira had become inevitable.

The Portuguese coach’s fate was sealed primarily by the team’s performance in recent weeks. In addition to four losses in their last five matches, the team was also eliminated from the Turkish Cup. This slump has sent the team plummeting to thirteenth place in the league, with just 12 points after eleven matchdays and a margin of only four points above the relegation zone.

Despite the bitter ending, President Cavusoglu chose to bid farewell to Pereira with words of gratitude, thanking him for his work and presenting him with a commemorative plaque. The club also wished the coach and his staff the best for the future.

For João Pereira, 42, this marks the end of yet another stint on the bench. The former Sporting Lisbon coach had joined Alanyaspor in March 2025, with the goal of reviving his career in Turkey. That adventure has come to a premature end, while the club looks to turn the page by turning to Ugur Ucar.