Italian Serie A club Genoa FC has announced the appointment of former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira as its new head coach.
The club made the official announcement in a statement on its website on Wednesday, titled “Press Release – Vieira Appointed New Head Coach.”
The statement read: “Genoa CFC is pleased to announce that Patrick Vieira has been appointed as the head coach of the first team. The new coach will conduct his first training session this afternoon, following the formalization of his contract at the Villa Rostan Headquarters.”
Vieira, a former French international and key member of Arsenal’s legendary ‘Invincibles’ squad, played a pivotal role in securing the club’s third Premier League title. He also helped France win the 1998 FIFA World Cup. During his playing career, Vieira was known for his leadership and strong midfield presence, alongside fellow French stars Thierry Henry and Robert Pirès.
The statement continued: “Vieira’s professional journey includes serving as Executive Development Football at Manchester City’s Academy from 2011 to 2015. He has also managed teams such as New York City, Nice, Crystal Palace, and Strasbourg. Welcome, Coach!”
The appointment comes after Genoa’s decision to part ways with former head coach Alberto Gilardino, following a disappointing start to the Serie A season.
“Genoa CFC announces that Alberto Gilardino has been relieved of his duties,” the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, took over as Genoa’s head coach in December 2022 after managing their Under-19 team. He successfully guided the club to Serie A promotion in 2023 and secured an 11th-place finish last season. However, with the club currently sitting 17th in the Serie A standings, just one point above the relegation zone, and having secured only two wins from 12 matches, the decision was made to seek a change in leadership.
