Continuing to battle in Serie A, defending champions Napoli have made their second teaching change of the season simply two days earlier than going through Barcelona within the Champions League.
Napoli dismissed Walter Mazzarri after coaching on Monday and appointed Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona, who beforehand served as an assistant on the Serie A group however has no prior expertise managing on the membership stage.
In November, Mazzarri changed Rudi Garcia at Napoli, which is on observe to be one of many worst defending champions in Serie A historical past, changing into the primary Serie A group to vary coaches twice in a season after successful the league.
“Mazzarri is a family friend and it is always painful to fire a friend,” Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis told Italian television channel Sky Sport. “I thanked him additionally for his readiness to come back assist us in a troublesome second for us.
“You must handle to present one thing additional to Napoli and its followers, nevertheless.”
The 55-year-old Calzona has been given a contract till the top of the season and can be allowed to proceed together with his duties as Slovakia coach within the meantime, having helped the group qualify for the upcoming European Championship.
Calzona was assistant coach to Maurizio Sarri at Napoli from 2015-18, when the group was a lot lauded for its type of play regardless of not successful something. He was additionally a part of Luciano Spalletti’s workers earlier than leaving in 2022 for the Slovakia put up, his first position as a head coach.
“Now we have now to present area and assist to Francesco Calzona, who has labored with us earlier than each in Sarri’s time and with Spalletti and know 80% of this group,” De Laurentiis stated.
“Time … will inform us if this was the proper alternative.”
Napoli are set to face Barcelona on Wednesday within the spherical of 16 of the Champions League.
Mazzarri changed Garcia in November and picked up solely 15 factors in 12 Serie A matches – worse than his predecessor.
Garcia was fired after amassing 21 factors from 12 matches and with Napoli in fourth place in Serie A, 10 factors behind league chief Inter Milan.
Saturday’s draw at dwelling to Genoa left Napoli 27 factors behind Inter, in ninth place and out of the European qualifying locations.
Since the top of World War II, solely 5 occasions have defending champions completed 20 factors or extra behind the Serie A champion. Juventus have the worst report, ending 24 factors behind champion AC Milan in 1962, a 12 months after successful the title.
Napoli look a far cry from the group that received Serie A final season, thrilling at dwelling and in Europe.
Garcia took over final offseason from title-winning coach Spalletti, who left to take a year-long sabbatical after which was named coach of Italy following Roberto Mancini’s resignation.
Source: www.dailysabah.com