Claudio Ranieri to leave Sampdoria despite top-half finish

Posted May 21, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

GENOA, Italy (AP) - Claudio Ranieri will leave Sampdoria despite coaching the team to a top-half finish in Serie A this season and helping the squad avoid relegation last year.

The coach made the announcement Friday, a day before Sampdoria hosts Parma in the final round of the season.

Ranieri's contract expires at the end of June and he was hoping for an extension, but club president Massimo Ferrero didn't provide an offer.

'œI told the squad today that I won't be staying for another year,'ť Ranieri said in the pre-match press conference. 'œThis year we fought, battled and played many great matches, plus some that went the wrong way. But that's soccer.'ť

With a five-point lead over 10th-place Hellas Verona, Sampdoria is guaranteed to finish ninth.

The 69-year-old Ranieri took over Sampdoria in October 2019 with the team in last place and guided the Genoa-based squad to a 15th-place finish during his first season in charge.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers MLS Pro Sports Soccer Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.