Patrick Vieira has stepped down from his position as Genoa’s head coach by mutual agreement, with the club sitting at the bottom of Serie A.
The former Arsenal captain, who took charge in November 2024, oversaw a winless start to the league campaign. Genoa confirmed in a brief statement that Vieira “is no longer in charge of the first team.”
A source close to the 49-year-old told BBC Sport that Vieira began talks with the board on Friday evening, during which both sides agreed to end his tenure. The club expressed gratitude to Vieira and his coaching staff for their “commitment and professionalism,” wishing them success in the future.
From survival to struggle
Vieira’s first months at Genoa brought stability after he arrived with the team hovering just above the relegation zone in 17th place. He managed eight wins and nine draws from 26 matches, steering them to a 13th-place finish last season.
This campaign, however, has been far more difficult. Genoa have collected just two victories in the Coppa Italia, while losing six of their nine Serie A fixtures — including five of the last six.
A decorated player and seasoned coach
As a player, Vieira enjoyed a glittering career, winning multiple trophies with Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Manchester City. He also lifted the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000 with France.
Following his retirement in 2011, he began coaching at New York City FC in 2016 before returning to Europe to manage Nice. After a promising start there, he was dismissed in December 2020.
Vieira then took charge of Crystal Palace in 2021, leading them to the FA Cup semi-finals before being sacked in 2023 after a lengthy winless spell. He later joined RC Strasbourg under BlueCo ownership but departed by mutual consent in July 2024, shortly before taking the Genoa job.
