This Monday, Napoli fired its coach, the Italian Walter Mazarri, and announced its third coach of the season, Francesco Calzona. He is an old acquaintance of the team who will combine his position with that of coach of Slovakia until the end of the season and will make his debut this Wednesday in the round of 16 of the Champions League against Barcelona.
“I thank Walter Mazzarri, a friend of the De Laurentiis family and of Naples, for supporting the team in a difficult time. He will remain in the hearts of the Neapolitans and our family,” reported Aurelio de Laurentiis, president of the club X, formerly Twitter. “Welcome back to Francesco Calzona, who has already worked with us with Sarri and Spalletti,” the president added. The situation in Naples is untenable this season. Just two days before the Champions League round of 16, Aurelio De Laurentiis fired his second coach of the season, as Mazzarri was the replacement for Frenchman Rudi García, who had started the season.
Ringrazio Walter Mazzarri, friend of the Laurentiis family and Napoli, to see how he supported the team during a difficult time. Resterà nel heart dei Napoletani e della nostra amiglia. Bentornato a Francesco Calzona, he has been lavorato with noi sia with Sarri che with Spalletti
— AurelioDeLaurentiis (@ADeLaurentiis) February 19, 2024
Mazzarri was unable to reverse the terrible start of the predecessor he replaced in November, and the recent draw against Genoa (1-1), achieved by a last-minute goal from Belgian Cyril Ngonge, was once again the trigger for De Laurentiis seriously considered a coaching change, despite the risky situation of handing the team over to a coach who has no time to work before the clash with Barcelona.
The situation arises after Mazzarri's poor results, which do not improve García's. In 17 games played, they have won just six, drawn three and lost eight, leaving the team ninth in Serie A, 5 points from the European places and 9 from the Champions League. Defeats also include a humiliating exit in the Italian Cup against Frosinone (0-4), in the final of the Italian Super Cup and in the national championship against Inter, Juventus, Roma and Milan.
The identity crisis that the Partenopean team is going through since the departure of Italian Luciano Spalletti, the current Italian coach who won the historic Scudetto last season, is taking its toll in Naples. Like Mazzarri and García, the new coach was already part of Naples. Calzona was deputy to Italian Maurizio Sarri, current coach of Lazio, during his time in Naples (2015-2018); and Luciano Spalletti (2021-22) until he got the call from Slovakia in 2022.
During his time as Slovakia's coach, he accumulated 14 matches, of which he won seven, drew four and lost three, which was enough to qualify Slovakia for the next European Championship. Now the new leader of the Vesuvius bench is training this Tuesday to get to know the team and prepare for Wednesday's momentous game against Barcelona at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
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