Torino fires Mihajlovic, hires Mazzarri

Posted January 04, 2018 6:00 am

The Associated Press

TURIN, Italy (AP) - Torino fired coach Sinisa Mihajlovic on Thursday and hired Walter Mazzarri, the former Napoli, Inter Milan and Watford coach.

Mazzarri signed a contract through the 2019-20 season with the Serie A team.

Mihajlovic lost his job a day after Torino was eliminated from the Italian Cup with a derby defeat to Juventus.

Torino announced the decision on its website Thursday, thanking Mihajlovic for his "dedication and passion" for the club.

Torino has won just one of its last eight Serie A matches and is 10th in the 20-team league. Ten draws in 19 matches played a role in Mihajlovic's downfall.

Mihajlovic was sent off for protesting a presumed foul on the build-up to Juventus' second goal in a 2-0 loss in the Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.

It was the fourth firing of Mihajlovic's career, having also been dismissed by Bologna, Fiorentina and AC Milan.

Coincidentally, it was also a loss to Juventus that prompted Mihajlovic's firing by Milan in April 2016.

Mihajlovic was hired by Torino in May 2016 and led the club to a ninth-place finish last season.

It's the seventh coaching change in Serie A with the season at its midpoint. Also fired were Massimo Rastelli (Cagliari), Marco Baroni (Benevento), Ivan Juric (Genoa), Luigi Delneri (Udinese), Cristian Bucchi (Sassuolo) and Vincenzo Montella (Milan).

FILE- In this Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016 file photo, Watford's team manager Walter Mazzarri getures, during the English Premier League soccer match between Watford and Chelsea at Vicarage Road stadium in London. Torino fired coach Sinisa Mihajlovic on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, and hired Walter Mazzarri, the former Napoli, Inter Milan and Watford coach. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File) The Associated Press

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