Napoli fires Walter Mazzarri and hires Francesco Calzona just two days prior to the Champions League match against Barcelona.

Walter Mazzarri, the head coach of SSC Napoli, has been given the boot by the club and replaced by current Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona, just two days before their crucial UEFA Champions League last-16 clash with Barcelona. This decision comes as no surprise, as Napoli’s Serie A title defence has been nothing short of disastrous this season.

The team’s previous title-winning boss, Luciano Spalletti, was replaced by Rudi Garcia in November, only for Garcia to also be sacked shortly after. Mazzarri was brought in as a replacement, but he failed to turn things around for the struggling side. Their recent 1-1 draw against Genoa was the final straw, prompting the club to make their third coaching change since last summer.

Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis took to Twitter to express his gratitude to Mazzarri, stating, “I’d like to thank Walter Mazzarri, a friend of both the De Laurentiis family and Napoli, for having supported the team in such a difficult moment. He will always remain in the hearts of the people of Naples and our family.” De Laurentiis also welcomed back Calzona, who has previously worked with the club under both Sarri and Spalletti.

Currently sitting in ninth place in the Serie A standings, Napoli’s hopes of defending their title are all but gone. They are a staggering 27 points behind league leaders Inter and nine points away from the top four. A string of poor performances, with just one win in their last five games in all competitions, convinced De Laurentiis that a change was necessary before their clash with Barcelona.

During Mazzarri’s tenure, Napoli managed to win only six out of their 17 games, losing eight and dropping from fourth to ninth in the standings. The club had hoped that their busy January transfer window, which saw the arrival of Cyril Ngonge, Lenader Dendoncker, Hamed Traore, and Pasquale Mazzocchi, would help improve their situation. However, their struggles continued.

Calzona is no stranger to Napoli, having previously worked as an assistant to Maurizio Sarri at the club. He also had stints under Eusebio Di Francesco at Cagliari and returned to Napoli to work under Spalletti. In 2022, Calzona was appointed as the head coach of Slovakia and successfully led the team to qualify for Euro 2024. Despite taking on the Napoli job, he will continue to manage Slovakia for the upcoming tournament.

It remains to be seen whether Calzona can turn things around for Napoli and salvage their season. With the Champions League clash against Barcelona looming, the pressure is on for the new head coach to make an immediate impact. The fans will be hoping for a fresh start under Calzona and a resurgence in form for the struggling team.