Benfica coach Antonio "Toni" Oliveira has resigned after a recent run of poor results at Portugal's most widely supported club, sports dailies reported today.
Club officials were not immediately available for comment, but Benfica were due to hold a news conference later in the day.
It was reported that Benfica chairman Manuel Vilarinho had accepted Toni's offer to resign during a private meeting held late on Wednesday.
Toni's year-long honeymoon with fans ended earlier this month when Benfica missed a chance to go top of the Portuguese premier league, which they have not won since 1994 despite being Portugal's most successful side in history.
Benfica now lie fourth in the premiership, after losing two and drawing one of their last three matches. They were also knocked out of the Portuguese Cup by lowly Maritimo.
Toni, 55, who steered Benfica to their last league title in 1994, replaced Jose Mourinho a year ago amid turmoil which followed the election of Vilarinho as the club's new chairman.
Mourinho has already hinted strongly he wants his old job back, saying he could obtain better results from Benfica's current squad without making any major signings.
The Lisbon side were Portugal's biggest spenders during the off-season, after a year in which they failed to qualify for European competition for the first time in their history.
South African national trainer Carlos Queiroz has been suggested as another contender for Benfica coach by Portugal's sporting press.