Napoli name Mazzarri as new coach

Italian champions Napoli appointed former manager Walter Mazzarri as their new coach, the Serie A club said on Tuesday.

The 62-year-old takes over from Rudi Garcia after defeat by Empoli left last season’s champions on 21 points, 10 behind leaders Inter Milan in the standings.

Napoli have lost three of their opening 12 league games, the other defeats coming at home by Lazio and Fiorentina, and – having drawn another three – sit fourth, two points behind third-placed AC Milan and eight adrift of Juventus in second.

The lacklustre start to the season reached a crescendo on Sunday when Napoli lost 1-0 at home to Empoli as Garcia’s tactics failed to produce a result against the team currently 17th in the standings.

Garcia took charge at Napoli in June after Luciano Spalletti resigned having won Napoli’s first Scudetto since 1990, but they are now at risk of falling away in this season’s title race.

Also Read: Napoli Will Miss Osimhen – Garcia

At the same stage last term Napoli were unbeaten in Serie A, leading with 10 wins and two draws.

Walter Mazzarri is the new coach of Napoli.

Welcome back! pic.twitter.com/2Dj6D0edsb

— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) November 14, 2023

Mazzarri returns to Napoli for a second spell after he managed the team from 2009-2013. He ended his debut season 2009-10 in sixth place before he helped Napoli qualify for the group stage of the Champions League the following campaign.

Last season, Napoli won the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years. The team was led by Luciano Spalletti, and with him as coach, attackers like Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia flourished.

Osimhen bagged 26 goals and four assists in the Serie A to win the best striker, while Kvaratskhelia scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists, carting home the league’s best player award.

Osimhen will be keen to reap the rewards of working with an attack-minded coach who focuses on the centre forward as the spear of the attack instead of Garcia who tried to get other players to score.