Sports

JUST IN: Napoli Sack Coach Mazzarri Ahead Of Barcelona Clash

Published

2 years ago

February 19, 2024

Walter Mazzarri has been sacked by Napoli to become the second man sent packing by the ailing Italian champions this season, Italian media reported on Monday.

The 62-year-old took charge in November after Rudi Garcia was dismissed but Napoli have since fallen to ninth in Serie A ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League last 16 clash with Barcelona.

Slovakia national team coach Francesco Calzona is set to be hired until the end of the season and will be in charge for the first-leg visit of Barca.

Calzona guided Slovakia to Euro 2024 but has a huge job on his hands as he returns to Napoli where he was an assistant during Luciano Spalletti’s trophy-less first season with the club.

Calzona will reportedly keep his job with Slovakia and bring with him Marek Hamsik, Napoli’s top all-time appearance maker who was also the first man to beat Diego Maradona’s scoring record for the club.

Napoli romped to a historic third Scudetto last term but since title-winning coach Spalletti stepped down in the close season, chaos has reigned in Naples.

Napoli are a whopping 27 points behind league leaders Inter Milan after winning just four of 12 league matches since Mazzarri took over, collecting 15 points.

That is even less than the 21 that Garcia managed from his 12 league matches in charge, a total that had Napoli fourth when the Frenchman was dismissed.

The chances of Napoli getting back into the top four and next season’s revamped Champions League are exceedingly slim, even if Italy wins a fifth spot.

Napoli are nine points behind both fourth-placed Atalanta and Bologna in fifth, and have shown little sign of being able to claw back that gap, failing to score in nine of Mazzarri’s matches in all competitions.

It is a disappointing end to Mazzarri’s brief second spell in charge of Napoli, after helping return southern Italy’s biggest club to the upper echelons of Italian football between 2009 and 2013.

Mazzarri guided Napoli to the 2012 Italian Cup, beating undefeated league champions Juventus in the final to win the club’s first trophy in over two decades.

He left in May 2013 after finishing second in Italy’s top flight with a thrilling team which boasted Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marek Hamsík and Edinson Cavani in attack.

Sports

EPL: Chelsea Set To Sanction First Summer Transfer Under Alonso

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

Chelsea are set to sanction their first summer transfer under their new manager, Xabi Alonso.

According to the BBC Sport, the Blues are ‘open’ to selling Filip Jorgensen this summer after the goalkeeper indicated his desire to leave Stamford Bridge.

Jorgensen joined the Premier League west London club two seasons ago from Villarreal.

The 24-year-old shot-stopper was expected to compete for the number one position with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, but he made just 11 Premier League appearances over the two seasons.

However, while the arrival of Alonso to Stamford Bridge could lead to a change in fortunes for Jorgensen, the report added that the Danish star has already expressed his desire to leave Chelsea this summer to get more regular playing game-time elsewhere.

Chelsea had blocked a potential exit for Jorgensen in the January transfer window, but the Premier League west London club are now open to a sale, with European and English clubs expected to explore a deal for the goalkeeper.

Sports

EPL: ‘Go For Alvarez’ – Paul Merson Hands Arsenal Two Signings To Make

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

Arsenal legend, Paul Merson, has handed his old club two signings to make in the summer.

Merson wants Arsenal to sign Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez and a new midfielder.

“I would get a centre forward this summer, I would go for Julian Alvarez,” Merson said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

“I am a big fan. If they could get him, I would. I still think they probably need another midfield player as well.”

Arsenal is expected to bolster its squad in the summer after winning the Premier League title ahead of Manchester City this season.

Sports

EPL: Wayne Rooney Picks Most Improved Player This Season

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney, has picked the Red Devils defender Luke Shaw as the most improved player in the Premier League following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.

Speaking on his BBC podcast, Rooney said, “I think, for me, Luke Shaw. I think Luke Shaw has been the most improved player this season.

“I know he is an experienced player now, but I think his level this season has been much better than it has been in recent seasons.

“People might look at Kobbie Mainoo but I don’t think he’s improved. It was just the fact he wasn’t playing under the former manager so it wasn’t good or bad.”

Shaw enjoyed one of his most consistent seasons at Man United and started all of Man United’s Premier League games.