RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 21 -- Rio de Janeiro giants Vasco da Gama have sacked coach Milton Mendes as the club fights to avoid relegation to Brazil's second division for the fourth time in a decade.

Vasco announced the decision during a press conference on Monday, less than a day after their 3-0 loss to Bahia.

"The club's interests need to come before anything else and for that reason it's best that [Mendes] leaves us," Vasco president Eurico Miranda told reporters.

Mendes, who sat beside Miranda during the announcement, said: "I had five happy months here and I'll leave with more friends than I had when I arrived."

Vasco, four-time winners of Brazil's top division, were relegated for the first time in their history in 2008, and suffered the same fate in 2013 and 2017.

Sunday's result left them 16th in the 20-team standings, just two points above the drop zone with 17 games remaining.

Brazilian media reported that former Flamengo coach Ze Ricardo is the favorite to replace Mendes.

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