Napoli Fires Walter Mazzarri Ahead of Champions League Match

Naples, Beritasatu.com – Napoli, on Monday (19/2/2024) fired manager Walter Mazzarri ahead of the match legs first round of 16 of the Champions League, against Barcelona at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Wednesday (21/2/2024) tomorrow.

Last season's Italian League champions have announced that Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona will immediately replace Mazzarri on a deal until the end of the season.

Calzona (55), will also continue to lead the Slovak national team until the European Cup in Germany.

A 1-1 draw at home to Genoa at the weekend spelled the end for Mazzarri, who replaced Rudi Garcia in November 2023, having previously managed the club between 2009 and 2013.

Under the leadership of Mazzarri (62), Napoli have recorded just six wins in 17 matches, which forced club president Aurelio De Laurentiis to act ahead of the Champions League clash.

Napoli won scudetto (Serie A champions) for the third time in their history, last season and the first time since 1990. However, their attempt to defend the title this season ended in disaster.

After drawing with Genoa, Napoli are ninth in the standings, nine points adrift of the Champions League and 27 points behind leaders Inter Milan.

Calzona, who was part of Spalletti's coaching staff at Napoli before taking over the job of managing the Slovak national team in 2022, will now be tasked with improving the club's performance.

The new coach's first match will be against Barcelona in the Champions League, then games in Serie A against Cagliari, Sassuolo, Juventus and Torino, before the second leg in Catalunya on March 12.