Luciano Spalletti sacked as Italy head coach days after Norway thrashing
Luciano Spalletti's stint as Italy head coach has come to an abrupt end after the national team's humiliating 3-0 defeat to Norway in the World Cup qualifiers. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed that Spalletti will step down after Italy's match against Moldova on Monday, marking a swift reaction to the team's worst start in qualifying history.The 66-year-old made the announcement himself during a pre-match press conference, revealing that FIGC president Gabriele Gravina had informed him of the decision. While Spalletti insisted he had no plans to quit, the loss to Norway appears to have sealed his fate.advertisement"Last night we were very together with president [Gabriele] Gravina. He told me that I will be relieved of my position as coach of the national team," Spalletti said.
"I had no intention of giving up. I would have preferred to stay in my place and continue doing my job. I'll be there [on Monday] evening against Moldova, then we'll resolve the contract," he added.Spalletti took charge of Italy in August 2023, stepping in after Roberto Mancini's sudden departure. The former Napoli boss arrived with high expectations, fresh off a historic Serie A title win. But Italy's performances under his guidance proved erratic. The Azzurri were knocked out of Euro 2024 in the Round of 16 by Switzerland, winning only one game throughout the tournament.Recent results have only deepened the crisis. The team has now gone three World Cup qualifiers without scoring — the worst such run in their history. The latest blow came against Norway, where Italy were thoroughly outplayed and went into half-time already three goals down. That defeat left Italy facing an uphill task to secure automatic qualification.Although Italy had shown signs of recovery in the Nations League — including a strong 3-1 win away against France — inconsistency has plagued their progress. A dramatic collapse against Germany in the Nations League quarterfinals earlier this year foreshadowed Friday's debacle in Oslo. After failing to qualify for the last two World Cups, the FIGC has decided it cannot afford another repeat — and Spalletti has paid the price.
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