Beijing Guoan sacked Roger Schmidt and replaced him with former Lyon manager Bruno Genesio on Wednesday — despite the German taking the club to third in the Chinese Super League.

Schmidt, 52, inspired Beijing to the best start in CSL history as the capital club won all 10 of its opening matches, to go with the FA Cup it lifted under him the previous season.

But the club failed to progress out of its AFC Champions League group and has stuttered of late in the CSL, falling to third, albeit only four points off leader Guangzhou Evergrande.

With a crunch home clash against Fabio Cannavaro's Evergrande on August 11 and a third of the season left, Beijing has acted ruthlessly to oust the former Bayer Leverkusen coach.

Guoan lost its last three matches in all competitions, the final straw being a 0-1 defeat to mid-table Henan Jianye.

"We sincerely thank Mr Schmidt for his hard work these two years and wish him all the best in his work and life," the club said in a statement on Weibo.

Genesio, the 52-year-old Frenchman, takes charge until the end of the season.

He left Lyon earlier this year after 12 years at the French Ligue 1 club, first as an assistant and then head coach.

The former midfielder also played for Lyon from 1985 to 1995.

Beijing separately said that it had signed midfielder Fernando Lucas Martins from Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow on loan. The Brazil international will wear the No.11 jersey.

Beijing made the move to add quality and depth to its midfield after Jonathan Viera was sidelined with a rib fracture. The club also had its offer for France forward Wissam Ben Yedder turned down by Spanish side Sevilla.

Fernando, 27, contributed 12 goals in 98 appearances for Spartak during his three years with the Russian club. He may make his CSL debut against Hebei China Fortune on Friday.

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