Genoa have appointed former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira as their new coach, the Serie A club said on Wednesday.

The Frenchman has been out of work since parting ways with French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg in July, having previously managed Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Genoa sacked coach Alberto Gilardino on Tuesday, with the club hovering just one point above the relegation zone with 10 points from 12 matches this season.

Gilardino registered just two wins in Serie A this season, while the club were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Serie B Sampdoria on penalties in the second round. 

Vieira began his managerial career with Manchester City's Under-23 team between 2013 and 2015 before he took over at MLS side New York City FC. He then spent two-and-a-half years at Ligue 1 side Nice before moving to Palace.

In his sole season at Strasbourg, the former France international won 13 of his 38 league games (D10 L15), averaging 1.29 points per game during his tenure. 

Vieira is now the first French manager to work in at least three of the five major European championships in the 21st century.

He will reunite with new signing Mario Balotelli, having coached the Italian striker for 10 matches when they were both at Nice in the 2018-19 season.

Serie A side Genoa have confirmed the departure of their head coach Alberto Gilardino, with Patrick Vieira reportedly on his way in.

Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, leaves the club with them sitting just one point above the relegation size with 10 points from 12 matches this season. 

A former striker who played for clubs including Genoa, Parma, AC Milan and Fiorentina, Gilardino took charge of Genoa in 2022 and helped them earn promotion to the top division before a 11th-place finish during the 2023-24 season. 

"The club thanks Gilardino for the goals achieved together over the years and wishes him the best for his career," Genoa said in a statement.

The 42-year-old saw his side salvage a late 1-1 draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como in their last match before the international break. 

Genoa were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia in the second round following a defeat to Sampdoria on penalties in September. 

Arsenal legend Vieira is set to replace him, according to multiple reports. 

The former France midfielder has been out of work since leaving Strasbourg by mutual consent in July. 

Roma’s embattled manager Ivan Juric found a small reprieve as his side scraped past Torino 1-0 for their first win in four Serie A matches.

Paulo Dybala scored the winning goal in the 20th minute, pouncing on a poor backpass from Karol Linetty and rounding Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic before applying the finish.

The result meant that Roma climbed up to 10th place, with 13 points from 10 matches and relieved some pressure off Juric, who is under the microscope only a month and a half into his tenure in Rome. 

Torino, meanwhile, are now only one point ahead of the Giallorossi after their fourth defeat from five outings. 

Elsewhere in Italy, fifth-placed Lazio posted a commanding 5-1 win over 15th-placed Como in a game that saw both sides finish with 10 men. 

Mario Balotelli has completed a sensational return to Serie A four years after leaving Brescia, joining Genoa on a free transfer. 

Balotelli, who has 52 goals in 141 appearances in the Italian top-flight, has been without a club since the end of last season after departing Turkish Super Lig side Adana Demirspor.

The 34-year-old joins a struggling Genoa who currently sit in the bottom three in Serie A after managing just six points from their first nine games this term. 

Alberto Gilardino's side have also scored just seven goals this season, with only bottom club Lecce (three) scoring fewer.

"I am pumped. I don’t want to talk much. I just want to get started," Balotelli said earlier on Monday. "I'll give it my all," he added, addressing the fans.

Genoa became the fourth Serie A side Balotelli has played for, having signed for Inter from Lumezzane in 2007, going on to win six major honours for the Nerazzurri. 

After a three-year stint with Manchester City, where he won the Premier League, he returned to Italy for Inter's rivals Milan in 2013, rejoining them on loan in 2015 from Liverpool.

Balotelli has since had stays in France, Turkey and Switzerland, but is now hoping to help Genoa stay in Serie A.

And the Italian could make his debut for the club on Thursday, with Fiorentina the visitors to the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris. 

Juventus boss Thiago Motta lashed out at those criticising striker Dusan Vlahovic after he scored twice in the Bianconeri's 3-0 win over Genoa on Saturday.

Juve continued their fine start to life under Motta with a routine victory at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, Vlahovic netting twice before Francisco Conceicao added a late third.

They have kept a clean sheet in each of their first six matches of a Serie A season for the very first time, also scoring at least twice in five of their last eight games, having done so only once in their previous eight.

Despite Juve's strong run of form, Vlahovic has attracted criticism from some quarters.

Only Christian Pulisic (six) and Marcus Thuram (five) have bettered his four goals in Serie A this term, though, with the Serbian also helping himself to a brace versus Verona.

Motta heaped praise upon Vlahovic after the win, also hailing his defensive work as he said: "No goals conceded is a team effort. 

"Scoring goals starts well with [goalkeeper Mattia] Perin and not conceding goals starts with Vlahovic.

"We have a group that wants to defend to have the ball and recover it. This is very important, a team must be solid to aspire to something great."

Motta then added: "Honestly, I think you pay too much attention to a single player. He has always been very good. 

"I understand the expectations and needs of a striker at this level. But as I said from the beginning, he is a positive leader who helps a lot.

"I am happy because he scored but I was also happy when he didn't. He must improve and be more connected with the team because he is an important player in many aspects of our game. He is fine and must continue to work as he is doing".

Vlahovic, who has more games with multiple goals than any other player across the last six Serie A seasons (19), said: "The most important thing is that we won and we want to continue like this.

"It's no problem, people talk. If you score you're the best, if you don't you're the worst. It's up to me to respond on the pitch and I will certainly do so.

"Sometimes there are fewer opportunities. People expect me to solve the games and that's normal, I don't run away. I always do everything 100%.

"I'm super calm and I will always give my all on the pitch. For a striker when you don't score it's difficult, but today we won and that's the only thing that matters." 

Dusan Vlahovic scored twice to help Juventus to a 3-0 win at Genoa in Serie A as Thiago Motta's side moved top of the standings.

Vlahovic scored Juventus' first goal in four league games when he converted from the spot after they were awarded a penalty for a handball following half-time.

He added his second in the 55th minute from a tight angle after Teun Koopmeiners found the Serbian striker on the edge of the box with a deep cross-field pass.

Substitute Francisco Conceicao then sealed the win with a low, one-touch finish late on.

The game in Genoa was played behind closed doors after crowd violence during their Coppa Italia fixture against Serie B side Sampdoria left more than 50 people injured.

Juventus, who drew each of their last three league games 0-0, top the table with 12 points from six games, one point ahead of second-placed Torino who host Lazio on Sunday.

Data Debrief: Vlahovic gets Juventus firing

Vlahovic broke the deadlock on Saturday and is now only one of the two players to score at least two braces in Serie A this season, level with Marcus Thuram.

The Serbian was bound to score from the sport having converted 18 of his 22 penalties taken in Serie A, including his last three in 2024.

Fellow goalscorer Conceicao scored 8,252 days after his father, Sergio, last bagged in Serie A on 24 February 2002, meanwhile, for Inter against Udinese.

Simone Inzaghi was left "disappointed" after Inter failed to protect their late lead at Genoa, who snatched a last-gasp 2-2 draw on matchday one of the Serie A season.

The Nerazzurri were on course to make a winning start to their Scudetto defence at Luigi Ferraris, where a Marcus Thuram brace cancelled out Alessandro Vogliacco's earlier effort.

However, they were denied all three points in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when Junior Messias slotted home the rebound after Yann Sommer saved his initial penalty to ensure a share of the spoils.

Inzaghi acknowledged the trip to Genoa provided a tough start to the campaign for his players, most of whom were involved in the European Championship and Copa America during the close season.

But the Inter head coach insisted that was no excuse for them not seeing out the victory, and said his side would struggle to defend their Serie A crown if they produce similar performances.

"A team like ours, leading in the 84th minute, shouldn't concede any more goals, especially in that way," he told DAZN. "Football owes you nothing. Today, we had to give a bit more.

"Conceding two goals like that makes it difficult to win matches. Credit to Genoa, but it's a draw that doesn't leave us much satisfaction given what we created. If you take the lead, you have to be better at managing it.

"Yes, winning is difficult, winning it again even more so. The boys know it, they are mature enough and that's why I'm disappointed."

Junior Messias scored a last-gasp equaliser as Genoa held Inter to a 2-2 draw, denying the Nerazzurri a winning start to their Scudetto defence at Luigi Ferraris.

Messias struck in the fifth minute of stoppage time to ensure a share of the spoils, slotting home the rebound after Yann Sommer saved his initial penalty.

Genoa took the lead after 20 minutes when Alessandro Vogliacco tapped in after Mattia Bani's strike ricocheted kindly into his path via the crossbar.

Although, Inter were level just 10 minutes later as Marcus Thuram rose to head home Nicolo Barella's lofted cross.

The Nerazzurri's second-half pressure eventually paid dividends eight minutes from time when Thuram completed the turnaround, latching onto Davide Frattesi's throughball and lifting it over the advancing Pierluigi Gollini.

There was to be a late twist in the dying moments of stoppage time, however. Yann Bisseck was penalised for handball following a VAR review and, despite Sommer thwarting Messias, the Brazilian reacted quickest to snatch a point for Il Grifone.

Data Debrief: Inter's winning streak stalls 

Inter were on course to win on matchday one for a sixth successive Serie A season, until Messias had other ideas with one of the final kicks of the game.

It marked only the second time in the last 14 seasons that the Scudetto holders had failed to win their league opener, after Juventus in 2015-16.

The Nerazzurri have now drawn three straight Serie A matches for the first time since doing so under Antonio Conte in January 2020.

Simone Inzaghi said that Inter will begin their Serie A title defence without key players Stefan de Vrij and Piotr Zielinski against Genoa on Saturday.

The Nerazzurri ended last season 19 points ahead of second-placed AC Milan, and have kept most of their squad for the new campaign, with Zielinski being perhaps the most high-profile addition.

Last season's Serie A top scorer, Lautaro Martinez, will play despite only having a short break after helping Argentina win the Copa America last month.

"Everyone is available except Zielinski, who will rest for a few more days, and De Vrij," Inzaghi told reporters on Friday, but added that the Pole will be ready for their first home game against Lecce.

"It's up to me whether he [Martinez] starts the game or comes on, but he is motivated, as always, and wants to get going."

Inter have added six new players to their squad ahead of the new campaign, but the 48-year-old admitted he would like to get at least one more addition before deadline day to bolster his defence as Tajon Buchanan is out for the foreseeable future. 

"We know that the market will evolve until the end of the month and right now we feel covered," Inzaghi said.

"We have a convincing attack and are trying to identify a valuable left-wing back."

Inzaghi, who signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2026 last month, comfortably won his first league title with the club last season, but he has refused to make predictions about the upcoming campaign.

"I see a more level league," he said. "All the top sides have brought in reinforcements and even middle-of-the-table sides have been very organised with good additions and coaches."

Stefano Pioli said he respects the opinions of Milan's supporters after thousands of fans carried out a silent protest during Sunday's 3-3 Serie A draw against Genoa at San Siro.

With Milan enduring a second straight trophyless season, trailing champions Inter by 18 points, Pioli has come under pressure amid suggestions the Rossoneri have held talks with former Spain and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui.

Irritated fans unfurled banners demanding improvements to the team during Sunday's match, while the club's ultras stayed silent in protest throughout the game.

Fans then left behind a banner which read "the sound of silence" as they filed out en masse from the Curva Sud shortly after Olivier Giroud had put Milan 3-2 ahead in the 75th minute.

By the time Genoa pulled level late in the match, thanks to an own goal by Malick Thiaw, the stand was completely empty.

"The fans have chosen this type of protest and we just need to respect them," Pioli, whose side have already secured their spot in next season's Champions League, said.

"Our fans have been an added value in recent years. They will have their reasons if they chose this protest."

Sunday's draw also means Milan are winless in their last four league matches.

"The start was poor. We didn't have the proper concentration and unity in the opening 20 minutes and conceded an early opener," Pioli said.

"Then, we created many opportunities but also made many errors. It's a shame we didn't win because it would have been important for the table."

Milan were pegged back to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Genoa in Serie A on Sunday.

Second-half goals from Matteo Gabbia and Olivier Giroud put Milan on course for victory, but a late own goal from Malick Thiaw rescued a point for the visitors.

Genoa's Mateo Retegui converted a penalty five minutes in, but Milan equalised just before half-time through an Alessandro Florenzi header.

The visitors regained the lead three minutes into the second half, however, when Caleb Ekuban sent a towering header home.

Milan turned the game around in three minutes, as Gabbia headed home in the 72nd and Giroud scored the hosts' third of the match with a volley from an acute angle.

Yet Genoa continued to push and a cross into the Milan box was inadvertently turned into his own net by defender Thiaw.

Second-placed Milan have 71 points, six ahead of Juventus who play later on Sunday. Genoa are 12th with 43 points.

Data Debrief: Like a fine wine

Age really is just a number for Milan's veteran campaigner Giroud, who has scored 14 goals in Serie A this season.

It is his highest tally in a single league campaign since netting 16 for Arsenal in the Premier League in 2015-16.

Massimiliano Allegri wants Juventus to get their rapidly derailing Serie A season back on track against Genoa on Sunday before the international break gives their title rivals chance to breathe.

Juve have won only one of their last seven league matches, losing three, and last weekend’s 2-2 home draw with Atalanta allowed AC Milan to take over as top side Inter’s closest challengers for the Scudetto.

Next opponents Genoa have been less than impressive away from home this term and Bianconeri head coach Allegri hopes this offers his team an opportunity to put a match to bed and make a statement before his players disappear on international duty.

He told a press conference: “We’ve had a good week, we all understand the period we’re going through.

“We’ve decided to stay together as a team for one more evening, knowing that we need to get back on track. We have goals to reach and we know tomorrow’s importance.

“In the last few games we haven’t given up many chances, but have conceded a lot of goals.

“At times that can happen. We need to improve defensively as a team, not just as individuals. There are some mistakes that we need to resolve and we’re working on it.”

On his selection issues, the Tuscan boss added: “We’re without (Arkadiusz) Milik and we’ll have to re-evaluate him after the international break, but (Mattia) Perin and (Mattia) De Sciglio are back. We have all of our forwards available, like (Moise) Kean.

“(Adrien) Rabiot doesn’t have 90 minutes in the tank just yet but just having him available is a positive.”

Genoa head to the Allianz Stadium on the back of two straight defeats, the first to Inter, while a 3-2 home defeat by Monza is still stinging a week later.

Head coach Alberto Gilardino, the former AC Milan and Parma striker, told reporters: “Allegri is a really great manager and Juve have a very strong squad full of world-class players.

“They’ve won a lot and are on an arc of improvement with lots of young stars coming through alongside plenty of experienced, quality players. They started the season among the favourites to win the title this year.

“They’re a difficult team to go up against as they have players who can change the game at any moment. But, as we saw in the first game, what counts is what we can do out on the pitch.

“We need to maintain great balance and pay even more attention to the fine details so we can maximise what the team, and the individual players, are trying to do.”

Inter Milan dropped points for only the fourth time this season as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw away to Genoa on Friday.

Marko Arnautovic headed the Serie A leaders in front late in the first half, but Radu Dragusin headed the hosts level in added time before the break and Inter could not get back in front as Genoa threatened a winner in the second half.

The result leaves Inter five points clear of Juventus who host Roma on Saturday, while Genoa remain 13th.

Inter threatened just a minute into the match as Arnautovic found the run of Henrikh Mkhitaryan to set him through on goal, but the Armenian could not get his shot on target.

Josep Martinez clawed away a Marcus Thuram header before the match was held up at the quarter-hour mark, with the number of pyrotechnics being set off leaving a thick smoke cloud over the pitch.

Play eventually resumed after an eight-minute delay and Inter quickly reasserted their dominance, with Arnautovic setting up a chance for Carlos Augusto, and then shooting wide himself after the Brazilian’s effort was blocked.

The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute as Genoa struggled to deal with a long throw into the box.

Nicolo Barella’s deflected strike was pushed on to the post by Martinez, but bounced up into the path of Arnautovic who could hardly miss with an open goal in front of him.

Genoese appeals for a push by Yann Bisseck on Kevin Strootman in the build-up fell on deaf ears.

Genoa had been decidedly second best up to that point but responded well to the setback. Caleb Ekuban saw his header saved as the first half moved into stoppage time, but they drew level in the seventh of the nine added minutes.

Albert Gudmundsson sent in an outswining corner and Dragusin got great power on his header to beat Yann Sommer low to his right.

Genoa carried that momentum into the second half as they put up a much better fight and Inter grew increasingly frustrated.

Genoa were screaming for a penalty early in the second half when Johan Vasquez’s header was blocked by Bisseck, but the defender’s arms were by his side and the officials showed no interest.

Inter’s best chance of a winner came in the 67th minute when Mkhitaryan chipped a free-kick into the box and Francesco Acerbi got his head to the ball, but Martinez got down smartly to save.

At the other end, Vasquez forced a save from Sommer who then spilled the ball, offering hope to Dragusin who was harshly booked for colliding with the goalkeeper as he challenged for the loose ball.

Dragusin had a late chance to win it but headed wide as Inter were forced to settle for a point.

Juventus missed the chance to move into top spot in the Serie A table as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Genoa.

Juve’s only dropped points in their previous eight games had come in a draw against leaders Inter, and a win would have left their rivals playing catch-up in Sunday’s clash with Lazio.

Federico Chiesa put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in the 28th minute at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, but Albert Gudmundsson levelled three minutes after half-time and Juve could not find a winner.

Massimiliano Allegri was without Adrien Rabiot, who joined Mattia De Sciglio and Moise Kean on the sidelines because of a minor foot problem, while Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli were both suspended.

Genoa’s options in the attacking areas, meanwhile, were limited by the unavailability of Kevin Strootman and Mateo Retegui.

The hosts had the first shot in the sixth minute through Ruslan Malinovskyi, but it was from a long way out and was comfortably saved by Wojciech Szczesny.

Chiesa looked the man most likely at the other end and he tried to catch out Josep Martinez in the home goal with a fierce shot from the tightest of angles that was pushed behind.

Chiesa then turned creator in the 22nd minute with a brilliant cross to the edge of the six-yard box, where Dusan Vlahovic met the ball but could not keep his effort down.

Six minutes later the visitors took the lead, with Vlahovic seizing on a heavy touch in defence to play in Chiesa, who had his legs taken out by Martinez.

The striker picked himself up and confidently found the bottom corner from the penalty spot for his first goal in Serie A since September.

Genoa tried to hit back, but the closest they came before the break was a Johan Vasquez effort from a corner that flew just over the crossbar.

Alberto Gilardino sent on Caleb Ekuban for the second half in place of Vasquez and within three minutes he had created the equaliser, chesting the ball down and then heading it on for Gudmundsson to fire into the net on the stretch.

Martinez made amends for his own mistake three minutes later, this time timing his challenge on Chiesa perfectly after he had given the ball straight to the Juventus forward.

He then pushed away an Andrea Cambiaso cross that just evaded the onrushing Vlahovic.

But Martinez saved his best for last, reacting very smartly to push the ball over the bar after a corner hit Gleison Bremer on the hip and securing an impressive point for Genoa.

AC Milan moved to the top of Serie A with a 1-0 win at Genoa that saw Christian Pulisic score late on before both sides had their goalkeepers sent off in stoppage time.

After substitute Pulisic broke the deadlock by firing home in the 87th minute, the Rossoneri were then reduced to 10 men in the eighth minute of time added on when Mike Maignan was dismissed.

Pulisic’s fellow substitute Olivier Giroud took over from Maignan in goal, and saw the Milan bar rattled moments later – before the drama continued with Genoa keeper Josep Martinez being shown a second yellow card.

With Giroud then making a save in the final few moments, Milan saw out the victory as they managed to take maximum advantage of Inter Milan being held 2-2 at home by Bologna earlier in the day.

Securing a fourth successive league victory and eighth in nine Serie A games, Stefano Pioli’s went two points clear as they replaced Inter at the summit.

Pioli made five changes to his starting line-up from the 0-0 Champions League draw at Borussia Dortmund, including replacing the front three of Giroud, Pulisic and Rafael Leao with Luka Jovic, Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor.

Two of that trio brought in almost combined for an early goal, with Chukwueze lofting the ball forward and Okafor just unable to finish as Martinez grabbed it.

The hosts then appealed for a penalty when Johan Vasquez went down in a tangle with Alessandro Florenzi but nothing was given.

A spell of Milan pressure around the quarter-hour mark saw Martinez deal with a shot from Florenzi and then block Tijjani Reijnders’ strike.

Florenzi subsequently got himself in the way of a Vasquez shot, before Theo Fernandez and Florenzi hit drives off-target.

After Pioli opted to bring on Pulisic and Leao for Chukwueze and Okafor at the interval, Milan continued to be frustrated in their search for a breakthrough early in the second half, struggling to fashion much in attack.

Leao then saw Martinez make a fine save to tip his bouncing header over the bar in the 65th minute, shortly before Giroud was introduced to the fray.

Genoa then threatened to grab the lead as Radu Dragusin’s shot deflected off Reijnders, with Maignan doing well to turn it around the post, and substitute Caleb Ekuban headed over.

It looked as if Milan would miss their opportunity to replace Inter at the top, but Pulisic then controlled a Yunus Musah delivery, turned and fired in, the effort standing after a VAR check for handball.

That proved only the start of a dramatic finale as stoppage time saw Maignan given a red card, via VAR, for clattering Ekuban, Giroud don the gloves, and the resulting free-kick by Albert Gudmundsson diverting off Fikayo Tomori and onto the Milan bar.

Martinez then fouled Musah and was sent off himself, before Giroud came out to bat the ball away from George Puscas as Milan emerged with all three points.