Genoa have sacked their manager Alberto Gilardino after a disastrous start to the season which has seen them fall to 17th in the league, and Patrick Vieira has taken over.Genoa finished 11th in the

Genoa surprisingly fired coach Alberto Gilardino on Tuesday and reportedly already have Patrick Vieira lined up to replace him -- which could have implications for new forward Mario Balotelli. Genoa are just a point above the Serie A drop zone having lost half of their league matches.

Patrick Vieira has been named as the new coach of Genoa, a Serie A club, following the unexpected dismissal of Alberto Gilardino. This appointment raises questions about the future of Mario Balotelli,