Official: Juventus part ways with manager Andrea Pirlo
Juventus have officially sacked head coach Andrea Pirlo after an underwhelming one-year spell in charge of the Italian giants.
Following former boss Mauricio Sarri's dismissal, Juventus hired club legend Andrea Pirlo to oversee a squad rebuild and lead the Bianconeri to UEFA Champions League glory.
The news was received with shock as Juventus had offered an inexperienced Pirlo a two-year deal barely a week after he picked up his first coaching job in charge of the club's U-23 side.
However, after a disappointing campaign in which they failed to clinch the Scudetto for the first time in ten years, Juventus have now announced the sacking of Andrea Pirlo. The club were also knocked out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 by Porto.
Despite leading the club to the Italian Super Cup, Juventus have opted to part ways with the Italian head coach after the team struggled to perform in the league. The Turin giants only secured a place in next season’s Champions League on the final day of the season thanks to Napoli’s 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona.
The club posted a heartfelt statement on their official website for Andrea Pirlo.
"Thank you, Andrea. These are the first words that all of us need to say at the end of this special experience together For all this, for the courage, the dedication, the passion with which he demonstrated every day, our thanks go to the Maestro, the coach and to Andrea, that really comes from the heart. As well as our good luck for the future that will surely be a wonderful one," read the statement.
While Pirlo might leave Juventus having failed as a manager, he will remain a club legend. During his playing days, Pirlo made over 160 appearances for Juventus during his four-year stint at the club and won the Serie A title in each of the seasons he played in.
Massimiliano Allegri to return to Juventus
After relieving Pirlo of his duties at the club, Juventus are set to reappoint former boss Massimiliano Allegri as manager.
Allegri's first stint at Juventus was a very successful one. He guided the Old Lady to five Serie A titles and four Coppa Italia between 2014 and 2019. Allegri also led Juventus to two Champions League finals.
However, failure to claim the highly sought-after Champions League trophy saw Juventus part ways with the 53-year-old as they opted for fresh ideas in the dugout. Allegri has remained on the sidelines after being sacked, opting not to join a new club. He will now return to help Juventus clean the dust off their feet.
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