Gennaro Gattuso ‘intent on taking over’ at Napoli as Carlo Ancelotti faces the sack regardless of result against Genk with Aurelio De Laurentiis ready to pull trigger amid ongoing feud
- Carlo Ancelotti looks set to depart Napoli after Champions League tie with Genk
- Napoli’s season has been damaged by an off-field row with players and chairman
- But it looks like Ancelotti could be the fall guy, with Gennaro Gattuso coming in
Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure as Napoli manager appears to be nearing its end, regardless of whether he leads the club into the last-16 of the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Reports in Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport say that Ancelotti will be axed by Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis whatever the result of their clash with Genk.
Napoli will need at least a point against the Belgium side in their home match but even if they win, Ancelotti could depart with former AC Milan manager Gennaro Gattuso said to be waiting in the wings and ‘intent’ on taking over at the club.
Carlo Ancelotti could be set to leave Napoli after their Champions League game with Genk
Former AC Milan manager Gennarro Gattuso is reportedly in line to take over at Napoli
Ancelotti has been linked with a return to England – both Everton and Arsenal currently have available vacancies – while Napoli have endured a difficult season to date.
They are currently seventh in the Italian league and have not won domestically in their last five matches.
Their season has been on the brink of being derailed since De Laurentiis went to war with his own squad following a 1-1 draw with Red Bull Salzburg in their Champions League group.
The players refused to go on a training camp that the Napoli chairman had organised in response to the draw and it sparked a furious stand-off between the players and the owner.
Reports in Italy at the time last month said that in response, a furious De Laurentiis responded by freezing payments of the players’ wages and sought further advice from his lawyers regarding what other sanctions he could impose.
Napoli’s president Aurelio De Laurentiis has fallen out with the playing squad this season
Napoli players such as Kalidou Koulibaly have also been linked with leaving the Italian club
Players and manager were also banned from giving their side of the story to the press, while stars such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Dries Mertens, Jose Callejon, Allan and Lorenzo Insigne were all linked with January exits.
But it looks like the manager will be the first major departure and Ancelotti has a high standing in England due to his achievements throughout football.
During his two years at Chelsea, he won the Premier League and FA Cup.