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Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Napoli has fired manager Carlo Ancelotti after the Italian soccer club advanced to the knockout stage in the UEFA Champions League tournament with a win over Genk. Napoli beat Genk 4-0 Tuesday in Naples, Italy. The win helped the Serie A squad advance to the round of 16 after a second place finish to Liverpool in Group E. The club announced their decision to fire Ancelotti after the victory.
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"The Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli has decided to revoke the role of technical manager of the first team from Mr. Carlo Ancelotti," Napoli said in a statement.
"The relations of friendship, esteem and mutual respect between the company, its president Aurelio De Laurentiis and Carlo Ancelotti remain intact."
Napoli has just one win in league play since beating Brescia 2-1 Sept. 29. The Italian squad sits in seventh place in Serie A.
"In the Champions League we always behaved very well in a not easy group," Ancelotti said after Tuesday's win. "It's a pity we didn't have the same performance in the league. In the international arena we showed mentality and courage, something that has not succeeded in Serie A so far."
Ancelotti also said he thought the team could still aim for a fourth-place finish in Serie A. The 60-year-old coach joined Napoli in 2018 after a brief tenure at Bayern Munich. He has also managed Reggiana, Parma, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
He has been linked to the vacant manager jobs at Arsenal, Everton and Major League Soccer expansion club Inter Miami.
Napoli's next Champions League opponent will be decided in the round of 16 draw Monday in Nyon, Switzerland. Napoli battles Parma in Serie A at noon Saturday in Naples.
