February 20 – Italian champions Napoli have sacked manager Walter Mazzarri (pictured) after just three months in charge and have brought back Francesco Calzona, currently Slovakia’s national coach, until the end of the season.
Mazzarri became the club’s second managerial casualty in the same season following Rudi Garcia’s dismissal in November.
Napoli’s Serie A title defence has crumbled since Luciano Spalletti left the club after last season’s euphoric Scudetto win, with the side now languishing in ninth place in Serie A.
Calzona was assistant coach to Maurizio Sarri at Napoli from 2015-18 and also part of Spalletti’s staff before leaving in 2022 for the Slovakia post, his first role as a head coach.
“I thank Walter Mazzarri for supporting the team in a difficult moment,” Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said on his X account. “He will remain in the hearts of the Neapolitans and our family. Welcome back to Francesco Calzona.”
Crucially the Slovak Football Association (SFZ) has given permission for Calzona’s temporary return to Napoli. The national side have two friendly matches in March, against Austria and Norway, before Euro 2024 in Germany which begins in June.
Garcia was sacked 12 league games into the season but since Mazzarri took over, things have gone from bad to worse in his second spell at the club, leaving Napoli 27 points off top spot.
Calzona’s first game comes on Wednesday when Napoli hosts Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League last 16.
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