Sport e Sports has fired coach Stefano Domenico Di Maio after he failed to secure a contract extension.
The 56-year-old, who had been with the Italian outfit since 2010, was brought in to take over the reins following the departure of Giuseppe Giambattista Visconti.
A number of sources close to the coach confirmed the news to L’Equipe.
“We are not at the stage where we are in a situation where we can announce the end of our contract,” Di Maino was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
“I have had a very good relationship with our fans and with the board.
We are at the end.”
Di Maio, who joined Sport in 2015, had previously coached the Italian National Team for seven years.
However, it was during his time at the helm of the national team that he had his share of controversies, including the accusation that he deliberately used a banned substance to help his teammates.
The Italian FA, which has been investigating the claims, has been unable to find any evidence to substantiate the allegations, despite several attempts.
“The allegations against me are completely false,” Di Matos’ statement said.
“I have never abused or neglected my players, and I have never lied to anyone.”
The decision to sack Di Mao comes after a poor campaign in which the Italian national team fell short of their targets.
The team lost all five of their games during Di Maolo’s tenure.
The Giallorossi missed the 2018 World Cup, losing out to eventual champions Germany, who were in the last four.
The squad finished bottom of the Serie A table for the first time since 2011 and were knocked out of the 2019 European Championships in the group stage.
The loss to Germany was their fifth consecutive defeat, as they finished bottom in the Premier League.
