Colombia's Atletico Nacional head coach Paulo Autuori gestures during a Copa Libertadores football match against Paraguay's Libertad at Atanasio Girardot stadium, in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia on Feb 28, 2019. (PHOTO / AFP)

RIO DE JANEIRO - Botafogo have parted ways with manager Paulo Autuori after just 23 matches in charge, the Brazilian Serie A club said on Thursday.

Autuori will be replaced by his assistant coach Bruno Lazaroni, who has yet to manage a senior professional team.

"It is time to make changes, without any kind of constraints," Autuori said in a statement published on the club's official website.

Autuori will be replaced by his assistant coach Bruno Lazaroni, who has yet to manage a senior professional team

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"To make things easier I told the players yesterday [Wednesday] that this was the right way to go," he added, suggesting the decision was of his own volition.

The announcement came less than a day after Botafogo's 2-1 home defeat to Bahia, a result that left them 19th in the 20-team league standings with just one win from 12 matches.

Autuori led Botafogo to six victories, 13 draws and four defeats after taking charge of the two-time Serie A champions for a fifth time in February.

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The 64-year-old, who began his managerial career as a teenager in 1975, had previous spells as Botafogo boss in 1986, 1995, 1998 and 2001.

He led the Rio de Janeiro club to their most recent Brazilian Serie A title in 1995 before leaving the following year to take charge of Portugal's Benfica.