Gattuso Becomes Fiorentina Manager After Napoli Sacking

Gennaro Gattuso was appointed Fiorentina coach on Tuesday, less than 48 hours after announcing he was leaving Napoli.

“Gennaro Gattuso will be the new coach of Fiorentina,” president Rocco Commisso announced on the Tuscan club’s website, which added that the new coach would take up his position on July 1.

Gattuso succeeds Giuseppe Iachini, who left the club twice in six months.

Iachini started last season in charge, was fired and replaced by Cesare Prandelli in December but recalled when Prandelli quit in March. After ensuring the club would avoid relegation, Iachini resigned. Fiorentina finished 13th.

Italian media had reported earlier in the day that Lazio were going to fire coach Simone Inzaghi and would be Gattuso’s preferred destination.

Gattuso, a 43-year-old former AC Milan and Rangers midfielder and former Milan coach, succeeded Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli in December 2019 with the squad plagued by internal dissent.
Gattuso led Napoli to his first major trophy as a coach when they won the Italian Cup last June.

However, Napoli missed out on this season’s main target, Champions League qualification, on Sunday. They started the final round of matches in fourth place, but drew at home with Verona to slip below Juventus, who won at Bologna.

Gattuso’s departure was announced immediately by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
AFP