Juventus sack manager Maurizio Sarri

Maurizio Sarri has been sacked as Juventus manager following their Champions League exit.

Former Chelsea boss Sarri, 61, had led Juventus to the Serie A title in his first season at the club but the away goals exit to Lyon on Friday night proved the final straw.

A club statement read: “Juventus announce that Maurizio Sarri has been relieved of his post as coach of the first team.

“The club would like to thank the coach for writing a new page in Juventus history by winning a ninth consecutive Scudetto, the culmination of a personal journey that saw him move through every level of Italian football.”

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice against Lyon, but Memphis Depay’s penalty was crucial to lead the French side to a surprise victory. Juve lost four of the 12 matches since the restart before their exit from Europe.

Sarri guided Juventus to a ninth straight league title.

Following his sacking by Chelsea at the end of the 2018-19 season, former banker Sarri succeeded Massimiliano Allegri in Turin and opened his reign with a 14-game unbeaten run in Serie A, a campaign which featured stronger challenges from Inter Milan and Lazio.

It was to the latter club that Juve first lost in the league last December, allowing the Roman club and Inter into the title race. When domestic football resumed in June after the coronavirus shutdown, Juve’s poor form saw them struggle to beat Antonio Conte’s Inter to the Scudetto by a single point.

Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, still out of work nine months after leaving Spurs, has been linked with the Bianconeri role, with previous managers Allegri and Conte also in the frame.

Pep Guardiola, with a year left on his contract at Manchester City, has been consistently mentioned by the Italian press as a potential successor, but the Catalan has publicly committed his future to the Premier League club.

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