An Impossible Task? Calzona Takes Over Napoli 48 Hours Before Facing Barca In Champions League – News18

ROME: If Francesco Calzona didn’t already know most of Napoli’s gamers, it is perhaps an inconceivable process: He turned coach of the defending Serie A champion 48 hours earlier than going through Barcelona within the Champions League.

But Calzona is aware of Napoli by means of and thru. He was an assistant to Maurizio Sarri with the Partenopei from 2015-18 and was on Luciano Spalletti’s employees in 2021-22.

Under Sarri, Calzona was credited with developing with the thought of Dries Mertens’ extremely profitable transfer to a false 9 place. Then with Spalletti, he helped to put the muse for Napoli’s run to the Serie A title.

Calzona left earlier than the title run when former Napoli captain Marek Hamsik — who nonetheless holds the membership appearances document with 520 — instructed he take over because the coach of Slovakia’s nationwide workforce.

In Calzona’s first job as a head coach, Slovakia efficiently certified for the European Championship.

Now the 55-yr-outdated Calzona will direct a membership for the primary time and his debut may hardly are available a much bigger match, with Barcelona visiting Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday within the first leg of the Champions League final 16.

While he was introduced on Monday, Calzona’s first coaching session in cost at Napoli didn’t come till Tuesday.

Calzona, who may also proceed as Slovakia coach, faces a giant problem with Napoli on a 5-match winless run in all competitions — which led to its second teaching change of the season.

Walter Mazzarri was fired on Monday after solely 12 league matches, the identical period that Rudi Garcia lasted at the beginning of the season.

Having spent most of his teaching profession beneath Sarri, whom he met when he was a espresso salesman in Tuscany, Calzona deploys extra of an attacking type than Mazzarri. That ought to be excellent news for Napoli heart ahead Victor Osimhen, who is because of return towards Barcelona after serving to Nigeria attain the Africa Cup of Nations last.

As beneath Spalletti, Calzona will doubtless depend on midfielder Stanislav Lobotka — who additionally performs beneath the coach with Slovakia — because the workforce motor.

Still, it stays to be seen how Napoli will react beneath its fourth totally different coach in 9 months — together with Spalletti, who left after final season. Mired in ninth place in Serie A, Napoli is on target for one of many worst title defenses in Italian league historical past.

Calzona was given a contract solely by means of the tip of the season, after which there may very well be even greater adjustments.

Osimhen, final season’s Serie A scoring chief, has indicated he’ll go away in June. Midfielder Piotr Zielinski has already agreed on a transfer to Inter Milan for subsequent season. And goalkeeper Alex Meret may very well be on the best way out, too.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)