Italy sack Ventura, target Ancelotti

The 69-year-old’s fate was sealed after a crisis meeting of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in Rome, with former Chelsea and Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti among the favourites to take over and rebuild the Azzurri. 

Ventura had refused to resign despite a 1-0 aggregate play-off defeat to Sweden on Monday that saw Italy miss the World Cup for the first time since 1958. “As of today Gian Piero Ventura is no longer the coach of the national team,” the FIGC said in a statement. 

According to reports, Ventura will be paid his salary until the end of his contract in June 2018, which amounts to approximately 800,000 euros (USD 943,000).