Valencia part ways with coach Gattuso

By Sports Desk January 30, 2023

Gennaro Gattuso's Valencia tenure lasted just 18 LaLiga matches as the club announced his departure on Monday.

The former Milan and Napoli coach was appointed ahead of the 2022-23 season after a year out of the game.

But Gattuso has been unable to inspire Valencia, who finished ninth last term.

Gattuso leaves the club in 14th place, winless in four outings since the World Cup break and just a point above the bottom three – albeit with a game in hand over the other sides in the bottom half.

Following Sunday's last-gasp defeat to Real Valladolid – his final match at the helm – Gattuso addressed supporters and told them Valencia's poor results were his responsibility.

The 45-year-old also angrily confronted the assembled media a day before Valencia announced his exit.

"Valencia CF announce that this Monday, January 30th, the club and the first team coach, Gennaro Gattuso, have decided by mutual agreement to end the contractual relationship between the two parties," a statement read.

"The club wish to thank Gattuso for his commitment and work during his time in charge and wish him the best of luck for the future.

"The team will return to training this Tuesday, January 31st, under 'Voro' Gonzalez."

Voro, who is set to take charge of the team at Real Madrid on Thursday, is in his seventh spell as interim coach, having also led Los Che on a permanent basis in the second half of the 2016-17 campaign.

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  • Predicting Europe's big five leagues: what Stats Perform's supercomputer says Predicting Europe's big five leagues: what Stats Perform's supercomputer says

    With the last international window of the season over, domestic club campaigns now enter the final straight.

    Everything is still to be decided – technically speaking. Title races, European qualification, relegation – all will come to a head over the next two months.

    Of course, there are a few outcomes that already look like foregone conclusions, but there's still much to play for in each of the top five leagues.

    With club football returning over the next few days, Stats Perform's Artificial Intelligence team have crunched the numbers using their supercomputer to predict the outcome of each league.

    How's the outlook for your team?

    Premier League

    England is the scene of potentially most compelling title race among the top five leagues this season.

    Arsenal may have an eight-point lead at the summit, but Manchester City still have a game in hand. As such, the Gunners' chances of winning a first league title since 2004 are 56.2 per cent, perhaps smaller than many might have expected.

    That comes down in part to the statistical value attached to City's historic results, particularly over the past few years during their Premier League domination, whereas Arsenal haven't come close to that level of success over the same period.

    Therefore, the title race still looks tight.

    A little further back, Manchester United (74.5 per cent) are near-certainties to finish third, while the race for fourth promises to be engrossing – Tottenham (19.3 per cent), Newcastle United (29.1 per cent) and Liverpool (24.5 per cent) look set to tussle it out, with Brighton and Hove Albion (10.7 per cent) considered rank outsiders.

    At the bottom, Southampton's 41.6 per cent likelihood of finishing 20th suggests they've a huge battle on their hands, but the supercomputer reckons West Ham and Leicester City have enough to pull themselves clear of the drop zone.

    The signs are that two of Bournemouth, Everton and Nottingham Forest will join Saints in the Championship.

     

    Bundesliga

    Germany's top flight may come to rival the Premier League's title race. Ahead of the weekend's Klassiker between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, BVB are a point clear.

    Yet, Dortmund's probability of finishing top is just 22.4 per cent compared to Bayern's 76.4. Again, it largely comes down to their historic results and Die Roten's dominance suggesting they'll eventually get the job done.

    But it's fair to say Bayern's decision makers aren't so confident given their brutal choice to sack Julian Nagelsmann on Friday, replacing him with former Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel.

    Union Berlin aren't out of it given they are only five points behind Dortmund, though this is obviously uncharted territory for them, hence the 0.9 per cent chance of winning their first top-flight title since 1923.

    Third looks the best bet for them (40.3 per cent), while RB Leipzig are the most likely to fill out the top four (37.2 per cent).

    It's even tighter in the relegation scrap. Only seven points separate 18th from 13th, so even rock-bottom Stuttgart are given a reasonable chance of finishing 14th (10.6 per cent) or 15th (15.2 per cent).

     

    LaLiga

    Following Barcelona's dramatic 2-1 win in El Clasico before the international break, LaLiga looks done and dusted at the top with the Blaugrana 12 points clear.

    The supercomputer also reckons Atletico Madrid are nearly guaranteed third (80.3 per cent), leaving what is effectively a two-horse race for fourth.

    Real Sociedad have fourth at the moment and are 43.7 per cent likely to finish there, though Real Betis (36.7 per cent) aim to push them all the way.

    At the other end, Elche are given no more than a 0.1 per cent chance of getting out of the bottom three after taking just 13 points from 26 games.

    Otherwise, relegation is difficult to call. Almeria in 19th are only six points behind Real Mallorca in 11th, meaning there are a host of clubs who could yet get dragged into a fight for their lives.

    There are two particularly big names among those potentially in trouble. Valencia are in the bottom three and have a 21.9 per cent chance of being relegated, while Sevilla – who are on their third coach of the season after sacking Jorge Sampaoli – are only two points clear of safety.

    The computer says Man Utd's next Europa League opponents only have a 5.8 per cent probability of going down, however.

     

    Ligue 1

    Paris Saint-Germain seemingly have little to worry about in Ligue 1, with the supercomputer calculating their title chances at 98 per cent.

    The tiny hint of doubt gives Marseille (1.8 per cent) and Lens (0.2 per cent) a bit of hope – but even then, it's presumably nothing more than a pipe dream.

    There is a similar degree of certainty at the bottom, where four teams will be relegated ahead of the league's size being reduced to 18 clubs next term.

    Angers, with 10 points from 28 games, cannot get out of the bottom four according to the calculations, and the other three positions are currently taken up by Ajaccio, Troyes and Auxerre.

    Brest and Strasbourg aren't out of the woods yet either, though the supercomputer believes those in the relegation zone are the ones most likely to drop into Ligue 2.

     

    Serie A

    If there's one league in Europe that's got a foregone conclusion at the top, it's Serie A.

    Napoli have more than a 99.9 per cent chance of winning a first Scudetto since 1990, with the unrelenting Partenopei a whopping 19 points clear of second already.

    The race for Champions League qualification promises to be a little more tense.

    Eleven points is the gap between Lazio in second and Juventus in seventh. While the Bianconeri are very much outsiders, the other five teams have at least a 15 per cent chance of finishing in the top four.

    Lazio, Inter and Milan appear to be the most likely to take those spots, though Roma and Atalanta will fancy their chances of putting a cat among the pigeons.

    In the relegation fight, there's a rather clearer picture.

    Cremonese and Sampdoria look doomed, while Hellas Verona in 18th are five points adrift of safety, giving them just an 18.8 per cent probability of avoiding relegation.

     

  • 'Nobody is perfect' – Pioli insists Napoli not 'unbeatable' ahead of Champions League showdown 'Nobody is perfect' – Pioli insists Napoli not 'unbeatable' ahead of Champions League showdown

    Stefano Pioli insisted "nobody is perfect or unbeatable" as Milan prepare to overthrow Napoli in the all-Italian Champions League quarter-final clash.

    Milan and Napoli will meet for the first time in European competition on April 12 in the first leg at San Siro, with Luciano Spalletti's side flying high in Serie A and UEFA's top club competition.

    The Partenopei are 19 points clear at the Italian top-flight summit and suggested by many as a potential challenger for the European crown.

    But Milan have only lost one of their nine all-Italian showdowns in Europe (W4 D4) and Pioli sees no reason why the Rossoneri cannot dream of progressing past Spalletti's in-form side.

    The Milan coach said: "Honestly, I'd rather not meet an Italian side. In the Champions League it's better to face a foreign club. Napoli are very strong but we want to play for it.

    "They have shown great consistency, strength and quality, they have all the characteristics of a great team, but nobody is perfect or unbeatable."

    Pioli's side have not reached the last eight in the Champions League since the 2011-12 term when they were eliminated by Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.

    Milan last went beyond that stage in the 2006-07 season en route to lifting the trophy but overcoming Napoli will prove an incredibly difficult challenge.

    Napoli have won each of their past three away matches against the Rossoneri, their best such run against them, although they have not triumphed in any of their past five trips to Milan in cup competitions.

    Pioli wants to build on Milan's Champions League history but says the Rossoneri cannot take their eyes off the Serie A top-four battle, leading fifth-placed Roma by just a point.

    "It's part of the history of this club and the path it has always followed," he added. "We are beginning to write our history, that of Milan in the Champions League is a different path from ours.

    "When you go to San Siro to play the Champions League it is something exciting and spectacular that involves everyone.

    "We are very busy but we are also focusing on the league. To make this season a positive one, we have to play in the Champions League next year. We have to be careful."

    Before the mouthwatering European meeting, Milan visit Napoli in Serie A on Sunday with the Rossoneri's Scudetto soon seemingly heading for Naples.

    Pioli's side have been unable to replicate their exploits from last season's title-winning campaign, though the Italian suggested Milan's young side would always struggle to defend their title.

    "I don't think there are many teams in Europe that immediately win the second league," he continued. "We won with a very young team, thanks to a project and a club path we are proud of.

    "We are one of the few clubs with a sustainable project; only a few teams manage to win and be competitive in Europe.

    "That is a leap that we have not yet been able to make but this year too gives us the opportunity to understand great things, to improve and be the strongest club."

  • Bettinelli signs new Chelsea deal until 2026 Bettinelli signs new Chelsea deal until 2026

    Marcus Bettinelli committed his future to Chelsea after signing a new deal with the Premier League side.

    The goalkeeper put pen to paper on an extension to his existing contract, keeping him with the Blues until 2026.

    Bettinelli has mainly served as a back-up option to Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy since joining Chelsea from West London rivals Fulham in 2021.

    The 30-year-old's sole competitive appearance for the Blues came during their commanding 5-1 victory over Chesterfield in last season's FA Cup.

    Nevertheless, he is thrilled to extend his stay with Graham Potter's side.

    "It is a privilege to be at a club like Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world," he told the club's official website. "A couple of years ago when I signed, I was delighted to be here, delighted to sign.

    "To be here now and see the club going through this transition and seeing what we are developing, it is amazing to be a part of, and I am buzzing to be here for an extra couple of years."

    Chelsea return to Premier League action after the international break when they host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

    The Blues are 10th in the table with 11 games remaining, and 11 points shy of fourth-placed Tottenham.

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