by Pedro Fonseca

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Gremio's Paulo Autuori  said on Wednesday he was leaving for Al-Rayyan in Qatar, the 33rd change of coach in Brazil's 20-team first division this season.

The former Peru coach, who has steered Gremio to ninth in the Brazilian championship, said he was made an offer he could not refuse by the Middle Eastern club.

"I'm leaving upset because we had the quality to be better placed in all the competitions we took part in. We failed and I assume that responsibility," Autuori was quoted as saying on the club's website (www.gremio.com.br).

The 53-year-old's Gremio side were eliminated by fellow Brazilians Cruzeiro in the semi-finals of the South American Libertadores Cup this year.

He won the Brazilian championship with Botafogo in 1995 and the South American title with Cruzeiro in 1997 and Sao Paulo in 2005.

Gremio said they would name a new coach this week, at least for the remaining four matches of the Brazilian championship.

Only five teams in the top flight have not changed coach since the championship began in May: Corinthians, Cruzeiro, Avai, Goias and Atletico Mineiro. --REUTERS