ROME (AP) — Italy's national soccer team coach Luciano Spalletti announced Sunday that he is being fired and will leave after Monday’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova.

The move comes two days after Italy lost 3-0 at Norway in its opening qualifier — already raising the prospect that the four-time champion Azzurri could fail for the third consecutive time to qualify for the World Cup.

“Last night I had a conversation with the president (Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina) and he told me that I would be fired,” Spalletti said in a pre-match news conference at Italy’s training center. “I didn’t have any intention on (leaving) and I would have preferred to stay on. But it’s a sacking and I realize that.”

The federation did not immediately name a replacement for Spall

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