Fiorentina Sack Fabio Grosso After Winless Start as Napoli's Losing Run Reaches Three
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Fiorentina sacked head coach Fabio Grosso on 6 September after just three league matches, becoming the first managerial casualty among Europe's top five leagues this season. The club lost 4-0 away to Roma, then 0-3 at home to Frosinone and 1-2 at home to Torino, leaving them with zero points, nine goals conceded and only one scored; Paolo Vanoli has been lined up as his replacement, with details of the appointment still being finalised.
Napoli suffered a third straight defeat in all competitions, losing 0-1 to Arsenal in their Champions League opener at the Maradona after previous losses to Como and a 3-2 defeat to Inter in Serie A. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri said his side "defended well" against Arsenal and suggested the result would have been different against Como and Inter "if we had defended like this," while acknowledging the team is "disappointed but must not get discouraged."
Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay underwent successful heart surgery in Manchester on Tuesday to correct a mild arrhythmia via ablation, according to Sky Sport Italia. He faces roughly two weeks of rest before resuming training, with the club targeting his return after the international break; McTominay has already missed the Inter match and will also sit out fixtures against Arsenal, Bologna and Fiorentina.
Inter head coach Cristian Chivu declared his side "the team to beat" as they open the defence of their Scudetto, won last season by an 11-point margin over Napoli in Serie A's 21st title for the club.
Transfer and squad notes
Fiorentina's coaching change comes amid a squad still adjusting following the summer transfer window, with the club now looking to Vanoli to arrest a run that has produced zero points from three matches.
What it means for the league
Fiorentina's early-season collapse and managerial change set an unusually turbulent tone for a club that will now need time to adapt to a new coach mid-September. Napoli's three-match losing run, spanning both Serie A and the Champions League, raises early pressure on Allegri just as he faces an extended stretch without McTominay in midfield. Inter's confident start under Chivu, following an 11-point title margin last season, positions them as an early reference point for the rest of Serie A even before the September international break ends.