Napoli 'considering Francesco Calzona as Walter Mazzarri replacement'

Having won last season's Serie A title, Napoli were again expected to challenge at the top of the standings during 2023-24, yet they have endured a disastrous campaign on the domestic front.

Earlier in the season, Rudi Garcia would last just 16 matches, a consequence of Napoli then being 10 points adrift of the leaders, and he was replaced by Walter Mazzarri.

Under the 62-year-old's guidance, Napoli have only slipped considerably further away from the Serie A summit, there now being a 26-point gap to frontrunners Inter Milan.

Perhaps most notably at this stage, Bologna are nine points ahead of Napoli in fifth place, a position that may potentially lead to Champions League qualification at the end of the season.

While Garcia posted eight wins and four defeats from 16 games, Mazzarri has recorded six victories and seven losses from 17 fixtures, the most recent being by a 1-0 scoreline to AC Milan on February 11.

However, with that being followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Genoa, Napoli are now ninth in the Serie A table, and it appears that president Aurelio De Laurentiis is ready to make another change in the dugout.

According to Fabrizio Romano, discussions will take place on Monday to determine whether Mazzarri will remain in the dugout for the first leg of the club's Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona this week.

Furthermore, as per Relevo journalist Matteo Moretto, Calzona is already waiting in the wings to replace Mazzarri should a change be made in due course.

Moretto says that Napoli legend Marek Hamsik would return to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona as part of Calzona's coaching staff.

Calzona has recently guided Slovakia to Euro 2024, recording seven wins and just three defeats from his 14 matches at the helm, and he would continue in that role should he become Napoli boss.

Although any potential appointment may be viewed as a surprise, the 55-year-old is no stranger to Napoli having been assistant manager to Maurizio Sarri between 2015 and 2018 and as technical coach to Luciano Spalletti between 2021 and 2022.

The Italian-born coach has also spent spells on the backroom staff at a wide array of other sides in his homeland, including Empoli and Cagliari.