Italian club Genoa replaces coach after slow start

Posted December 21, 2020 6:00 am

The Associated Press

GENOA, Italy (AP) - Davide Ballardini will coach Genoa for the fourth time after the Italian club hired him on Monday, replacing Rolando Maran with the team stuck in the relegation zone following a 2-0 loss to Benevento.

Genoa has just one victory in 13 games in Serie A and was in 19th place as it prepared to play at Spezia on Wednesday.

The team has been winless in the league since its season-opening victory over Crotone on Sept. 20. It has also won two Italian Cup games.

In a brief statement, the team said the 57-year-old Maran had been fired after four months on the job.

'œThe club thanks the coach and his staff for their commitment,'ť it said.

In the 2013-14 season, Maran was fired twice by the same club - Catania.

Genoa's team was struck hard by the coronavirus in late September with at least 14 positive cases among players and staff.

Ballardini first coached Genoa in 2010-11. He has also coached Lazio, Palermo, Cagliari and Bologna.

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