Genoa end Vieira era: Criscito benched, Vanoli, De Rossi, Gotti in frame | OneFootball

The Genoa bench changes once again. This morning, the official announcement came of the separation between the Rossoblù club and Patrick Vieira, who decided to step down after days of reflection. The team will be led in the next match against Sassuolo by an internal solution, with Roberto Murgita and Domenico Criscito temporarily taking charge of the technical staff.

Genoa, the Vieira era is over: Criscito on the bench against Sassuolo. Vanoli, De Rossi, and Gotti in the running

The Ligurian club released a clear and concise statement to announce the end of its relationship with the French coach: “Genoa CFC announces that Patrick Vieira is no longer the coach of the First Team. The club wishes to thank the coach and his staff for the seriousness and professionalism shown during their work and extends its best wishes for the continuation of their professional careers.”

A decision reached in the last few hours, after discussions between Vieira and the new sporting director Diego Lopez, whose arrival at the club has not yet been made official but is now considered imminent.

Criscito and Murgita to lead for the match against Sassuolo

While waiting for the appointment of a new coach, the club has chosen to entrust the interim management of the first team to Roberto Murgita, a long-time Rossoblù collaborator, assisted by Domenico Criscito, a Genoa icon already part of the technical team.

Criscito, who as a player embodied the Genoa spirit for years, will lead today’s training session in preparation for the home match against the Neroverdi. The Murgita–Criscito duo therefore represents a temporary, but also symbolic, solution to try to reunite an environment shaken by negative results.

The situation in the standings: a turning point is needed

Genoa is at the bottom of the table with only three points after nine matches, the result of three draws and six defeats. The latest loss, suffered at home against Cremonese, has worsened a crisis of results and confidence that made a change of direction inevitable.

Vieira arrived on the Rossoblù bench on November 21, 2024, replacing Alberto Gilardino, with the goal of giving the team a new tactical identity. After a year of ups and downs and an extremely disappointing start to the season, the separation now appears to be a mutual decision.

Possible replacements: Vanoli, De Rossi, and Gotti in the running

With Vieira’s tenure over, Genoa’s management is already working to identify the new coach. At the top of the list are three prominent profiles:

Paolo Vanoli, the architect of Venezia’s promotion and appreciated for his defensive organization;

Daniele De Rossi, coming off a positive experience on the Roma bench;

Luca Gotti, an experienced coach with a long track record in Serie A and considered a guarantee of tactical balance.

After Ottolini, a new era with Lopez and an ongoing overhaul

The split with Vieira comes just days after the departure of sporting director Marco Ottolini, confirming an internal revolution that is now underway. The goal of the new management, led by Lopez, is to restore stability and identity to a historic club experiencing one of the most difficult moments in its recent history.

The match against Sassuolo, entrusted to Criscito and Murgita, represents a first test while awaiting the appointment of a permanent new coach.

As was easy to predict, Balotelli, Vieira’s great “enemy,” also responded on social media. SuperMario flooded his Instagram profile with stories, starting with: “Karma is a bi*ch,” “God sees and provides.” Then he added: “Ooooola! Now Genoa can finally focus on people who truly love the club, the fans, and the crest, and who deeply believe in the idea and the fact that Genoa deserves to be at the top!” Finally, his message of good wishes: “The great work carried out firsthand by Gilardino and Zangrillo has not been lost: it was only selfishly and poorly exploited by those who came after, taking advantage of what they had built with effort, respect, and passion. They exploited the immense work of Gilardino and Zangrillo, their commitment and dedication to these colors, without truly understanding its value. Now, focus on Genoa and the Genoani! Forza Genoa, forza ragazzi! I believed in you and I still do.” Complete with a heart and tags, first to Zangrillo and Gilardino and then, at the end, to Vieira.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.