Following a 1-0 defeat against Bundesliga leaders Union Berlin on Sunday, Stuttgart confirmed on Monday afternoon that they have relieved head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo of his duties.
Appointed in December 2019, Matarazzo (44) has coached 100 games for Stuttgart. After securing their Bundesilga status with a win against FC Köln on the final day of last season, Stuttgart currently find themselves in 17th, are the only team without a league win and three points off guaranteed safety.
“When we brought Rino to VfB almost three years ago, we were absolutely convinced of his potential and skills as a coach,” said VfB sporting director Sven Mislintat. “Rino not only met our expectations, he exceeded them in many respects. Even in difficult sporting situations, we never questioned him because we were convinced that in him we had the best possible coach for us and our path.
“After in-depth analysis of last season, when, as is well know, we were only able to secure our league status at the last minute, we started the new season with high hopes. Unfortunately the results so far have no fulfilled these hopes. We are now at a point where we are convinced that Rino’s split is inevitable.”
Matarazzo added: “Our journey together at VfB is coming to an end. It was intense and beautiful years with many incredible moments and memories that will last forever. I will be eternally grateful for the chance I was given here to gain a foothold in the coaching business.”
A decision on a successor is yet to be made.
GGFN
