Grêmio confirm football vice-president Antônio Dutra Júnior steps down, Rafael Lima takes over | OneFootball

Grêmio announced a change in their football department on Monday, with vice-president Antônio Dutra Júnior stepping down and director Rafael Lima moving into the role.

The club said in a statement that Dutra Júnior asked to leave for personal and professional reasons, and it thanked him for work on restoring Campeonato Gaúcho supremacy and revamping the department.

Dutra Júnior took the post in January under president Odorico Roman. He worked alongside then director Rafael Lima, executive Paulo Pelaipe and technical coordinator Luiz Felipe Scolari. He will remain vice-president of the Board of Administration.

On Saturday, Grêmio lost 3-1 to Corinthians at the Arena in their final match before the World Cup break, dropping to 16th in the Campeonato Brasileiro, one place above the relegation zone.

They finished second in their Copa Sudamericana group, which means a play-off to try to reach the last 16. There is no prospect of a change in the coaching staff, with head coach Luís Castro enjoying institutional backing from the president, six vice-presidents and the football department.

Source: Globo.com