In a shocking announcement, Napoli’s first team will no longer be managed by the Italian coach, Walter Mazzarri. The decision to dismiss Mazzarri from his coaching duties was made on Monday, a mere 48 hours prior to the team’s Champions League round of 16 tie against FC Barcelona. The club has chosen Francesco Calzona to take up the mantle of head coach in Mazzarri’s stead.
The president of Napoli, Aurelio De Laurentiis, officially confirmed Mazzarri’s dismissal through a statement published on the club’s website. “Walter Mazzarri, a friend of the De Laurentiis family and of Naples, has our deepest gratitude for his support of the team during a particularly complicated period,” De Laurentiis wrote. “His contributions will forever remain in the hearts of the Neapolitans and our family. We are excited to welcome back Francesco Calzona, who has a long history of collaboration with us, having worked extensively with both Sarri and Spalletti in the past.”
Mazzarri, a 62-year-old from San Vincenzo, had a prior stint managing Naples from 2009 to 2013. He began his second term at the helm of the southern Italian club this past November, taking over from the dismissed Rudi García. At that time, the team enjoyed a fourth place standing in Serie A. However, they now find themselves in ninth place, lagging five points behind the European zone and a whopping 27 points from the lead.
With this dismissal, Mazzarri leaves Napoli, the current champions of the ‘Scudetto’, with a mixed record of six victories, three draws, and eight defeats across a total of 17 matches.
Calzona, who will continue to serve as the coach of Slovakia alongside his new role at Napoli, will take over a team he is intimately familiar with. He has previously served as assistant to both Maurizio Sarri and Luciano Spalletti, making him well-equipped to guide the team going forward.
