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Milan parts ways with Montella; Gattuso to take over

REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

AC Milan's disappointing first third of the season cost Vincenzo Montella his job, as the Italian club announced Monday that it's parted ways with Montella and replaced him with former Milan legend Gennaro Gattuso.

Gattuso had been managing Milan's Primavera (U-19) team.

While Montella's contract was extended in May, and Milan's managing director, Marco Fassone, publicly supported his manager just last month, a string of poor results ultimately left Fassone and Co. little choice.

Following a 0-0 draw at home to Torino on Sunday, Milan sits seventh in Serie A, 11 points back of fourth-place Roma for Italy's final Champions League spot after spending roughly €230 million to overhaul the squad this past summer.

Missing out on the Champions League could also lead to the departure of teenage goalkeeping prodigy Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose reported €100-million release clause could be sliced in half should the seven-time European champions once again fail to qualify for the continent's most prestigious club competition.

Montella served as Milan's manager since June 2016, and leaves the San Siro with a record of 32 wins, 14 draws, and 18 losses across all competitions. The Rossoneri finished sixth in Serie A last season to qualify for this year's Europa League, where they recently secured progress to the Round of 32.

Gattuso, a World Cup winner with the Italian national team in 2006, played 13 seasons for Milan's senior team before finishing his career in Switzerland. The 39-year-old Calabrian won two Champions League trophies, two Scudettos, and a league cup as a player for Milan. He managed Sion (Switzerland), Palermo, OFI Crete (Greece), and Pisa before taking over Milan's Primavera side.

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