November 01, (THEWILL) — Patrick Vieira has been dismissed by Genoa following a disastrous start to the Serie A campaign that has left the club rooted to the bottom of the table.
The former Arsenal midfielder departs after managing only three points from nine matches, with six defeats leaving Genoa in their worst position after 10 games since the 1960s.
Vieira took charge approximately 12 months ago when Genoa sat in 17th place, replacing Alberto Gilardino.
He managed to steer the club to 13th by the end of last season, but that improvement proved short-lived.
A club statement on Saturday confirmed the 49-year-old’s exit, announcing that Roberto Murgita would take interim charge alongside assistant Domenico Criscito.
The Frenchman’s record at Genoa saw him win just 10 of 37 matches across all competitions, drawing 12 and losing 15 for a 27 per cent win rate.
Those figures proved insufficient to convince the board that recovery was possible under his stewardship.
Genoa face a crucial test on Monday when they visit Sassuolo, who currently occupy 10th position after nine rounds of fixtures.
The hosts have already defeated two newly promoted sides in succession, and history warns that Genoa could suffer a third consecutive loss to teams from Serie B for the first time since 2012.
The club’s hierarchy hopes the managerial change can arrest a slide that threatens to match their worst campaigns from the 1950s and 1960s.
With the season still young, immediate improvement remains essential if Genoa is to avoid a relegation battle.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
