Patrick Vieira has been dismissed as head coach of Genoa following a disappointing start to the Serie A season. The former Arsenal star's tenure ended after a 2-0 defeat at home to newly-promoted Cremonese, which left the Rossoblu languishing at the bottom of the league table.

In his final match, Federico Bonazzoli netted both goals for Cremonese, marking a ninth consecutive game without a win for Vieira's side. The club confirmed his departure in a statement, expressing gratitude for his dedication and professionalism. "Genoa CFC announces that Patrick Vieira is no longer the coach of the First Team. The club would like to thank the coach and his staff for the dedication and professionalism they have shown throughout their work and wishes them all the best for their future careers," the statement read.

Roberto Murgita has been appointed as interim head coach, assisted by Domenico Criscito. Genoa's next fixture is scheduled for Monday against Sassuolo.

Vieira had only recently signed a new contract with the club after being linked with a move to Inter Milan. His predecessor, Simone Inzaghi, left Inter for Al-Hilal, but Vieira was ultimately replaced by his former teammate, Christian Chivu.

Genoa began the season with a promising 3-0 victory over third-tier Vicenza in the Coppa Italia and followed it up with a win against Serie B side Empoli. However, they have struggled in the league, managing just three draws and six defeats from their nine matches. Their goal-scoring record is particularly concerning, with only four goals scored, the joint-worst in the league.

Following the defeat to Cremonese, fans expressed their dissatisfaction, and Vieira was questioned about his future. He responded, "You ask me a question like this after a match? I understand it is your job, but this question makes no sense to me. My worry is to try to find a way to win games. This is a difficult moment for all of us, and we must accept the criticism that comes our way. For the rest, we’ll see. Replying to this question now is not my style."

Vieira, 49, took charge of Genoa in November 2024, succeeding Alberto Gilardino. He managed to steer the team to a mid-table finish last season, highlighted by a notable draw against title-chasing Napoli. Prior to his time at Genoa, Vieira led Strasbourg to a 13th-place finish in Ligue 1 and spent over a year managing Crystal Palace, where he finished 12th in his only full season.