Genoa has announced the departure of head coach Patrick Vieira, with the decision reached by mutual consent. The move comes as the club sits at the foot of the Serie A table, having failed to secure a victory in the opening nine matches of the season.
Vieira, who took charge last November with the team in 17th place, successfully guided Genoa to safety and a 13th-place finish last term. However, the current campaign has proven disastrous, with the team managing only three draws and six defeats while scoring a mere four goals.
In a statement released Saturday, the club confirmed that interim leadership of the first team will be handled by Roberto Murgita, assisted by former player Domenico Criscito. The coaching change comes ahead of a crucial Monday fixture away to Sassuolo, with Genoa currently two points adrift of safety.
Elsewhere in Serie A, league leaders Napoli are set to host Como on Saturday. Later, attention will turn to Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese as they face a tough test against Juventus.
The weekend’s major European action also features a top-of-the-table clash in Germany, where Bayern Munich welcomes Bayer Leverkusen—the only side to have broken Bayern’s domestic dominance in the past ten years. In Spain, Real Madrid will aim to widen their advantage at the summit of La Liga when they take on Valencia at home.