Juventus have sacked their head coach, Maurizio Sarri, after the club’s exit at the UEFA Champions League round 16 tie against Lyon.
The Serie A champions suffered 1-0 away defeat against the French side before the COVID-19 lockdown.
In the returning match played on Friday, the Sarri-led Juve attempted to overturn Lyon’s lead but faced stiff resistance as the aggregate stood at 2-2 at the end of the encounter.
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s double in a home 2-1 win on Friday, Juve fell 2-2 on aggregate to the French club, ending their quest for a title they last won in 1996.
After the match, Sarri said Juventus are jinxed and on Saturday, he was shown the door out after just one season in charge.
“Maurizio Sarri has been relieved of his post as coach of the first team,” the nine-time reigning Serie A champions said in a statement.
Official | Maurizio Sarri relieved of his duties.https://t.co/39vYyBXaqo pic.twitter.com/k2dxnmkokT
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) August 8, 2020
Pochettino possible replacement?
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Juventus have contacted Mauricio Pochettino to ask if he would replace Maurizio Sarri as manager after the clubs Champions League exit.
After crashing out in the Round of 16 to Ligue 1 side Lyon on away goals, the Serie A side are on the hunt for a new manager in light of their European woes as they sacked Sarri within 24 hours of their European exit.
DailyMail reports that Pochettino is not only reportedly the favourite to take over from Sarri, but contact has already been made between the club and former Tottenham boss.
Club president Andrea Agnelli’s first choice to replace the former Chelsea manager would be Zinedine Zidane, however the Frenchman has only just got back into the swing of his second stint as boss at Real Madrid.
Pochettino is without a club, after his Tottenham career came to an end in November 2019.
The Argentine has always said it would be a ‘dream’ for him to manage Juventus, as his family have connections in the Turin area.
