MAURIZIO SARRI has been sacked by Juventus with Mauricio Pochettino lined up as a potential replacement.
The Italian, 61, was given his marching orders the day after his side crashed out of the Champions League to Lyon.
Maurizio Sarri has been sacked as Juventus manager after just one year in chargeCredit: EPA
Sarri won the Serie A title in his only season at the Italian giants but failure in Europe proved fatal.
Juve said: “Juventus Football Club announces that Maurizio Sarri has been relieved of his post as coach of the First Team.
“The club would like to thank the coach for having written a new page in Juventus’ history with the victory of the ninth-consecutive championship, the culmination of a personal journey that led him to climb all the divisions of Italian football.”
And according to Sportitalia, the Old Lady want Poch to take over at the Allianz Stadium.
The former Tottenham boss is currently without a club following his sacking at White Hart Lane last November.
Reports state that Juventus have already made contact with the Argentine regarding the job.
Juve’s president Andrea Agnelli’s No1 choice to replace Sarri would be club legend Zinedine Zidane, who also crashed out of the Champions League on Friday night.
Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi’s name has also been mentioned but with neither man expected to quit their current clubs this summer, the available Poch is the more likely option.
However La Gazzetta dello Sport claim the former Southampton manager’s wage demands are double the £5million a year that Sarri was paid.
Sarri took over from Max Allegri a year ago on following his short stint in the Premier League with Chelsea.
He signed a three-year contract but suffered an unfortunate start to life in charge as he missed his first two games in charge with pneumonia.
The former Napoli boss lost the Supercoppa Italiana in December to Lazio and then the Coppa Italia final on penalties to his old side in June.
And despite winning the Serie A title, pipping Inter Milan by just one point after losing seven league matches, success in Europe was a necessity.
‘CURSED’
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie with Lyon on Friday.
But trailing 1-0 from the first leg and conceding to a Memphis Depay Panenka penalty, it was the Ligue 1 side who progressed on away goals.
And Sarri blamed Juve’s exit – which ensured the long wait to be crowned kings of Europe continues – on a “curse”.
He said: “We are out of a competition where we won six out of eight games we played, we drew one and lost one.
“That means that in eight matches we got 19 points. If there were a Champions League table we would be first or second.
“Instead, we are out. That’s why I feel incredibly sad. It makes me understand that in this competition Juventus are cursed.
“If I weren’t so bitter, I would get out of this match with a smile on my face, because I saw the lads in good shape again, they gave all they had, they fought until the end, they put their heart and soul into the match. I appreciated it.”
Mauricio Pochettino could be brought in as Sarri’s replacement at the Old LadyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Inside Juventus’ title celebrations as Sarri smokes a cigarette and swigs magnum of champagne while Ronaldo and Co party
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
