Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen will work under a new coach at Serie A champions, Napoli following the sacking of Walter Mazzarri.
Struggling Napoli sacked Mazzarri on Monday and brought in Slovakia coach, Francesco Calzona, just a day before hosting Barcelona in the Champions League.
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 but Napoli then fell to ninth in Serie A ahead of Wednesday’s last 16, first leg with barca at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
“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, formerly Twitter.
De Laurentiis confirmed that Calzona has been hired, reportedly until the end of the season, and will be in charge on Wednesday night.
The new manager will hope to help revive the fortunes of Napoli in the remainder of the campaign.
The Serie A holders managed just six wins in 17 games across all competitions under Mazzarri.
Calzona, who is also the manager of the Slovakia national team, will retain his role and lead the country at the European Championship in the summer.
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.
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