Official: Roma sack Rudi Garcia

Roma have officially sacked head coach Rudi Garcia on Wednesday, with Luciano Spalletti expected to be his replacement.

It has been a difficult first half of the season for Roma to say the least. After qualifying for the UEFA Champions League with consecutive second place finishes in the past two years, the club currently sits in fifth place in the Serie A table. They’ve won just once in their last 10 matches, and have already been eliminated from the Italian Cup.

After weeks of speculation, Roma have officially announced that they have relieved head coach, Rudi Garcia, of his duties. The Frenchman arrived at the club in 2013, and did a good job to manage the turmoil surround the team and get them back into Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

“AS Roma confirms that Rudi Garcia, and his assistants Frederic Bompard and Claude Fichaux, will cease to manage its first team with immediate effect,” read a statement on the club’s official website.

“Garcia, who won Ligue 1 with Lille in 2011, was unveiled as the Giallorossi’s new coach on 12 June 2013. He led the team to 10 wins in the first 10 league matches of the 2013-14 season and went on to record consecutive second place finishes in Serie A. Given recent results, however, the club have decided to move in a new direction.”

The club is expected to announce a familiar face as his replacement, with the team’s former coach, Luciano Spalletti, believed to be taking over the bench. The 56-year-old coached the club between 2005-2009, winning two Italian Cups and an Italian Super Cup with the club.

The Giallorossi will be take on Real Madrid in the Round of 16 in Champions League action. Much like Roma, Real Madrid are also dealing with the transition of a new manager with Zinedine Zidane replacing Rafa Benitez.

Roma will be in action next on Sunday morning against the only club in the Italian top flight who have yet to win a match, Hellas Verona.