Serb Antic steps in at Celta Vigo
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Serbian coach Antic accepts another challenge in Spain
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MADRID, Spain -- Former Barcelona and Real Madrid chief Radomir Antic has agreed to take over as coach of Celta Vigo, the Primera Liga club said on Wednesday.
"Celta reached a verbal agreement on Wednesday afternoon with Yugoslav coach Radomir Antic to coach the first team squad," read a statement on the club's website.
Antic is expected to arrive in Vigo on Wednesday to sign a deal under which he would take charge at the Galician club until the end of the season.
The 54-year-old Serb was expected to watch his new side try to overturn a 4-2 deficit when they host Second Division Alaves in the return leg of their King's Cup quarterfinal.
Antic replaces Miguel Angel Lotina, who was fired on Monday after a run of poor results. Celta are in 17th place in the 20-team Primera Liga, just one place off the relegation zone.
Celta, however, have reached the second stage in this season's Champions League and face Arsenal over two legs for a spot in the quarterfinals.
It is Antic's first coaching position since leaving Barcelona in June after a five-month spell in which he led the team into this season's UEFA Cup.
A former international with Yugoslavia, Antic began coaching in Spain in 1988 when he moved from Partizan Belgrade to take charge of Real Zaragoza.
He is the first coach to have been in charge at all three of Spain's biggest clubs -- Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid -- and has also coached Oviedo.
The highlight of Antic's career came in 1996 when he led Atletico de Madrid to the double -- the Spanish league and Copa del Rey titles.
