Claudio Ranieri to leave Sampdoria despite top-half finish
Udinese’s Walance Souza vies for the ball with Sampdoria’s Manolo Gabbiadini, during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Sampdoria, at the Dacia Arena stadium in Udine, Italy, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
GENOA, Italy (AP) — Claudio Ranieri will leave Sampdoria despite coaching the team to a top-half finish in Serie A this season and helping the squad avoid relegation last year.
The coach made the announcement Friday, a day before Sampdoria hosts Parma in the final round of the season.
Ranieri’s contract expires at the end of June and he was hoping for an extension, but club president Massimo Ferrero didn’t provide an offer.
“I told the squad today that I won’t be staying for another year,” Ranieri said in the pre-match press conference. “This year we fought, battled and played many great matches, plus some that went the wrong way. But that’s soccer.”
With a five-point lead over 10th-place Hellas Verona, Sampdoria is guaranteed to finish ninth.
The 69-year-old Ranieri took over Sampdoria in October 2019 with the team in last place and guided the Genoa-based squad to a 15th-place finish during his first season in charge.
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