In a strange piece of news, Cagliari surprised everyone yesterday with the announcement that they had sacked Massimiliano Allegri.
“Cagliari announce that they have relieved Massimiliano Allegri of his position,” said a statement on the club website. “Academy coach Giorgio Melis has been put in charge.”
Normally when a coach is fired this late in the season it is because of poor performance, but Cagliari are nine points above the relegation zone in 12th place with five games left.
Yes they have been on a poor run of late, losing seven and drawing two of their last nine league games, but Allegri is considered one of Italy’s best young managers. Allegri won Italy’s “Golden Bench” award in February after his peers voted him Serie A coach of the year ahead of Inter Milan’s Jose Mourinho.
There have been rumors that Allegri is heading to Turin to take over at Juventus next season as maybe Cagliari decided to let him go on their terms instead of waiting for him to leave.