“AC Milan announces it has relieved Mr. Marco Giampaolo from his position as coach of the First Team,” the club said in a statement. “The Club is grateful to Marco for the work carried out and wishes him all the best to come in his professional career.”
Giampaolo replaced former Milan hero Gennaro Gattuso, who had lead the club to fifth last season, in the summer but after a run of four defeats that includes a 2-0 derby defeat to Inter Milan, the seven-time European champions are just three points above the relegation zone after seven league games.
The 52-year-old struggled from the outset at cash-strapped Milan, who lost their Europa League berth this season for breaching UEFA’s financial fair play rules. Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Genoa wasn’t enough to save the former Sampdoria boss, who had been the seventh coach to sit on the Milan bench in the past five years.
Pioli is reported to be set to take over the ailing club, who won the last of their 18 Italian league titles in 2011.