Published in: 11/14/2023 – 22:15

6 minutes

He was fired Napoli is an Italian football team On Tuesday, his French coach, Rudi Garcia, was replaced by Walter Mazzarri, who returned to the team after previously overseeing it between 2009 and 2013, two days after Empoli struggled to a 0-1 defeat at home.

Garcia’s second stop in Italy did not have the desired success, as he only continued his duties for four months at the southern club, which won the title for the third time in its history after playing an exceptional season under Lugalo Spalletti and the leadership. Having won the title well and deservedly, the latter resigned at the end of the season.

During his time with Napoli, García suffered a number of defeats that were unbecoming of the title holder, perhaps most notably his four defeats at his stadium, which is named after his Argentine legend Diego Armando Maradona. Two wins from eight clashes in his home city so far this season, against Sassuolo 2-0 (second division) on August 27 and Udinese 4-1 in the sixth round, against two teams that have struggled.

Napoli’s results on the European stage, particularly in the Champions League, have not been good as they went 2-3 after taking a 1-0 lead away to Spain’s Real Madrid, and were held to a draw against Union Berlin, bottom of the German league. The scores are 1-1 in the fourth round. Note that he had lost his last 12 matches prior to this clash.

Despite a remarkable performance by Georgia’s Gwicha Kvartzkelia recently after a weak start to the season, Garcia, in a surprising technical choice, left club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis with the trophy in the hands of club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis after their recent defeat to Empoli.

Turn the page on Garcia

Napoli have looked poor since the last international window, apart from the absence of injured Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen to create three clear-cut chances for Garcia after the hour mark, in light of the Georgian winger’s exclusion. Ukrainian substitute Viktor Kovalenko scored a goal in the first minute of stoppage time.

The defeat created intense anger among the club’s fans and its chairman, as the latter decided not to make media statements after leaving a dignified position.

Just 48 hours have passed since Napoli made a quick turnaround for Garcia’s side, before the international window, and 11 days before its next match against Atalanta on November 25. The reigning champions now sit fourth on 21 points, 10 behind leaders Inter. .

Garcia’s task has not been easy since Spalletti, the coach who handed Napoli the title for the third time in its history at the end of the 2022-2023 season last May, ending a lean period that spanned 33 years since they won their first two titles. Under the leadership of legend Maradona in 1987 and 1990.

Spalletti, who replaced Roberto Mancini at the helm of the Italian national team, defended his French teammate on Monday, saying it was “not fair to compare him from the first match to what he has achieved before with this team”.

Despite his thorough command of the Italian language, Garcia was not popular with Napoli fans and the club’s former glory, who, despite the success of his debut experience, felt that he did not have the “broad shoulders” to lead the team. Serie A when he led Roma”. Runners-up in 2014 and 2015, a League-Cup double with French Lille in 2011, a Champions League semi-final with Lyon in 2020, and a Europa League final with Marseille in 2018.

“Unemployed Apprentices”

From the start, García faced a lot of criticism for the club’s lackluster performance in the transfer market, despite not playing a major role in signings, as the southern club faced huge financial challenges that rained down on its best striker Osimhen. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to a physical product program. Adopted a very tiring and dull playing style.

Garcia’s reluctance in technical choices created an atmosphere of disaffection, and this was evident in Osimhen, Kvartskelia and Matteo Politano, who expressed their displeasure when they were replaced, causing the coach to lose the confidence of the club owner. Give him a helping hand in his predicament.

De Laurentiis, a filmmaker and club owner since 2004, expressed his displeasure with Garcia’s sudden statements, warnings and appearances with unemployed coaches. During an eventful last international window in October, he met coach Antonio Conte, who previously oversaw the Italian national team and several other clubs, including Juventus, Inter and Chelsea.

In front of Empoli, defender Fabio Cannavaro sits next to 2006 world champion De Laurentiis, although the Ballon d’Or winner’s coaching career is still shy of the world’s best player.

After putting Croatian Igor Todar’s name on the table, still without a club since his departure from French club Marseille, De Laurentiis has finally set his sights on Walter Mazzarri, a familiar face in Naples. The post of assistant coach (1998 and 1999), returning and overseeing the team, the first team between 2009 and 2013, and he led them to win the Italian Cup (2012) and to finish second in the league in 2013.

France 24/AFP