MILAN, Oct 3 — Sampdoria have sacked coach Marco Giampaolo after Sunday’s 3-0 humbling at the hands of promoted Monza left them rock bottom of Serie A.

In a statement Samp said that Giampaolo had been “relieved of his duties as first team coach”, a run of four straight defeats doing for the 55-year-old former AC Milan and Torino coach.

Samp are winless in their eight league fixtures and four points behind Bologna, who sit just outside the relegation zone ahead of their match at Juventus later on Sunday.

The club’s vice-president Antonio Romei had already confirmed that Giampaolo was to be fired and that they were working on finding a successor.

Giampaolo’s predecessor Roberto D’Aversa is one of the candidates in line to take over again, as is veteran Claudio Ranieri. — AFP