Florentia Viola, the third division side formed out of the ashes of Fiorentina, have sacked their first coach.

Former Italy centre-back Pietro Vierchowod was dimissed nine matches into the season with Florentia only seventh in the table. He will be replaced by 46-year-old Alberto Cavasin, a coach wise in the ways of the lower divisions.

Vierchowod paid the penalty for failingto fulfil expectations of instant, promotion-pushing success.

He said: “It’s a big disappointment. I don’t think anyone understood the time we needed to build something new here.”

This was Vierchowod’s second successive early-season sacking after his dismissal by Catania last year.

Vittorio Cecchi Gori, film and TV producer who owned bankrupt Fiorentina, has been arrested on fraud charges arising out of the collapse of the former European Cup-winners Cup holders.
By Keir Radnedge