Genoa have announced the appointment of Patrick Vieira as their new head coach, replacing Alber Gilardino who was sacked earlier this week.
Genoa are currently 17th in Serie A, just one point above the relegation zone. They have picked up just 10 points from their first 12 games.
Coming to the new team, the French coach will reunite with his former student Mario Balotelli. He just joined the club on a free transfer last summer. The two worked together at Nice but the relationship was not very good.
Genoa will host Cagliari in the next round this weekend, when the French coach will be introduced to the team's fans.
Vieira had a glittering career as a player for Arsenal and the French national team. He won three Premier League titles, three FA Cups and three Community Shields while at the Gunners. He also won the World Cup and the European Championship with France in 107 appearances.
Vieira began his coaching career with New York City. After leaving the American team, Vieira returned to France to manage Nice. In the summer of 2021, he was appointed head coach of Crystal Palace and was fired in the winter of 2023 after a series of poor results.
The French legend most recently returned to coach Strasbourg in Ligue 1. The team finished the 2023-2024 season in 13th place, but Vieira only stayed with the team for 1 season due to disagreements with the board of directors.
