Football: Crisis-club Napoli replace sack Walter Mazzarri ahead of Barca clash; Francesco Calzona takes over
Football: Crisis-club Napoli replace sack Walter Mazzarri ahead of Barca clash; Francesco Calzona takes over
Struggling Napoli sacked Walter Mazzarri on Monday and brought in Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona.
The 62-year-old Mazzarri became the second man to be sent packing this season by the ailing Italian champions.
Mazzarri took charge in November after Rudi Garcia was dismissed Napoli then fell to ninth in Serie A ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last 16 clash with Barcelona.
"I thank Walter Mazzarri, a friend of the De Laurentiis family and Napoli, for having helped the team in a tricky period," said Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis on X.
De Laurentiis confirmed that Calzona has been hired, reportedly until the end of the season, and will be in charge for the first-leg visit of Barca.
"It's always painful to sack a friend," said De Laurentiis in a short interview with Sky Sport.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
‘Italy will not...’: Meloni threatens Spain’s Schengen access after thousands enter Ceuta from Morocco
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Delhi Consumer Court fines Indian Railways Rs 25,000 for making RAC passengers share one blanket
)
Lift accident? Maintenance, builders & makers are ALL liable now, rules Supreme Court: 3 major regulations | WION Decodes
)
60,000 migrants from Morocco flood Spain's Ceuta, EU calls influx unacceptable, Trump warns US
)
Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal reveals why she warned Tom Holland and Zendaya against dating
)
Russia-Ukraine War: Zelensky fears 500,000 new Russian troops
)
'I was almost trafficked in Paris,' says Australian woman, shares terrifying ordeal - 'I am on the black market'
)
Trump to charge foreign students $100,000 for a shot at a US job? Here's why Indian students should be worried
)
More than 100 Israeli soldiers walk out of base, chant slogans in an 'act of rebellion' | Watch
)
Monsoon set to strengthen in August as India's rainfall deficit narrows to 14%: IMD
)
India avoids higher US tariff, secures lower 10% rate. Here's how
)
Russia-Ukraine war: Putin mobilises more troops for Ukraine's war decisive invasion
)
'We have special forces': Netanyahu warns against any ICC arrest attempt abroad
)
Alert for torrential rains across Jammu division; flash flood risk over next five days
)
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke returns to Maharashtra, receives grand welcome in hometown
)
ICC announces 12 host venues for 2027 ODI World Cup
)
3.6mn people track 24hr Qantas flight from Melbourne to Toulouse: Pilot shifts, fuel tank and other details
)
British Airways flight comes close to 'nosediving' over London
)
NEET Protests riddled with misinformation? Delhi Police blocks 480 Pakistan-based handles spreading 'fake news' since Operation Sindoor
)
Hosts India sweep Malaysia for double gold in men’s and women’s Commonwealth Table Tennis finals
)
Pakistan avalanche: Four bodies found as search for Nirmal Purja and 9 other climbers enters critical phase
)
49,000 illegal migrants enter Spain from Morocco; 34 dead – What is happening in Ceuta?
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
Kiara Advani reveals why she chose Toxic, says character offered her 'all the meat an actor longs for'
)
Shehzad Poonawalla, BJP's national spokesperson quits politics? Here's what sparked social media buzz
)
23ft python swallows man returning from party in Indonesia; family find body whole inside reptile
)
"Am I Worthy?" Ranbir Kapoor addresses backlash over playing Lord Ram in Ramayana: Part 1
)
Commonwealth Games 2026 Day 9: India's full schedule, medal events and match timings
)
Karan Johar's The Traitors season 2 contestants: Rhea Chakraborty, Mallika Sherawat and Munawar Faruqui in the first batch
)
Have 7,000 Karnataka students tested positive for HIV? Here's the truth
)
Indian forces used pellet guns on Jul 20? SC hearing, police diary entry, MLC report and injured protesters' claims
)
'Living Nostradamus' warns of a new war, claims two of his 2026 predictions have come true
)
Student denied admission to IIT Kanpur's cybersecurity program hacks websites to prove a point
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (July 31, 2026): The Vacation Principle, Rao Bahadur, Chum- Watch 6 new movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
This Ramayana actor took ZERO fee from Rs 4000 crore film. Guess who?
)
Nearly Rs 29 crore cash, 15 kg gold found at ex-bus driver's house in West Bengal
"But we need to consider that in Naples you have to give Napoli fans something extra. Now we're going to try to do that with Francesco Calzona."
ALSO READ |Explained | Why does the India-England Test series give 2005 Ashes vibes?
Calzona guided Slovakia to Euro 2024 but has a huge job on his hands as he returns to Napoli, where he was an assistant under Maurizio Sarri and during Luciano Spalletti's trophy-less first season with the club.
The 55-year-old will reportedly keep his job with Slovakia while also trying to drag Napoli back up the table after the disappointing end to Mazzarri's brief second spell in charge of southern Italy's biggest club.
Mazzarri helped return Napoli to the upper echelons of Italian football between 2009 and 2013.
He 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.
Mazzarri left in May 2013 after finishing second in Italy's top flight with a thrilling team which boasted Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marek Hamsikand Edinson Cavani in attack.
