RIO DE JANEIRO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Manager Gustavo Quinteros was sacked by Gremio on Wednesday after less than four months in charge of the Brazilian Serie A club.

The announcement followed Gremio's 4-1 away loss to Mirassol earlier on Wednesday, the club's third straight top-flight defeat.

"Gremio is grateful for the services provided by the coach and his technical committee and wishes them success in their next challenges," read a brief statement on Gremio's official website.

Quinteros led Gremio to nine wins, five draws and six defeats after replacing Renato Portaluppi in late December.

The 60-year-old former Bolivia international defender was an unexpected appointment for the Porto Alegre side, accepting the job just days after guiding Velez Sarsfield to Argentina's Primera Division title.

His managerial career has also included spells in charge of the Bolivia and Ecuador national teams. ■