Marseille have appointed Gennaro Gattuso as their new manager, following the poor start to the season and the tension between former manager Marcelino and the fans.
The former Valencia, Napoli and AC Milan manager has signed a short-term contract until the end of the season with the option for another year. The Italian left Valencia in January after a poor run of form which saw them placed right above the delegation zone.
Gennaro Gattuso named new Marseille manager
“I’m looking forward to getting to work with my new team and taking on the upcoming challenges that await us,” he told the club’s website.
“It’s a club and a stadium celebrated throughout Europe for the passion and fervour it exudes,” Gennaro Gattuso added.
He has never managed in France before, having been in charge of clubs in his home country and most recently, Spain, with Valencia.
Repairing the relationship with the fans will be the priority for the fiery manager, alongside conjuring a decent run of results. Marseille currently sit eighth in Ligue 1 with only nine points from their first six games, following a 4-0 defeat against PSG in Le Classique only accelerating the decision to replace Marcelino.
After failing to qualify for the Champions League, Marseille will play in the Europa League and host Brighton on October 5 in their next European game.