The 52-year-old coach was appointed as Esteghlal’s coach in June 2022 but had to leave the club after receiving a four-month suspension from the Disciplinary Committee of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).

The suspension followed a controversial incident during the Tehran derby, where Sa Pinto criticized the referee harshly in the final moments of the match and was subsequently shown a red card.

After his departure from Esteghlal, Sa Pinto was appointed as the head coach of Cypriot team APOEL.

Although Esteghlal recently won Iran’s Hazfi Cup under the leadership of Mojtaba Jabbari, the club is now looking to hire a foreign coach.

According to media reports, the Blues have reached an agreement with Ricardo Sa Pinto.