Soccer-Benfica name Jesus as coach

LISBON, June 16 (Reuters) - Portuguese club Benfica have named former Braga manager Jorge Jesus as their new coach on a two-year contract, Benfica said in a statement on Tuesday.

Benfica had agreed to pay Braga 700,000 euros to release Jesus from a contract which tied him to the northern club for another season.

Jorge Jesus managed Braga for one season, taking them to fifth place in the Portuguese Premier League and the last 16 of the UEFA Cup for the first time.

Last week Quique Sanchez Flores stepped down as coach of Benfica after the two sides agreed to end the Spaniard's contract a year early, after one season in charge.

Flores built a squad that included Jose Antonio Reyes, Pablo Aimar and David Suazo, but Benfica could only finish in third place, 11 points behind champions Porto and seven adrift of local rivals Sporting.

(Reporting by Shrikesh Laxmidas; Editing by Ed Osmond; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)