Genoa, Italy – On Wednesday, Genoa officially named Patrick Vieira as their new head coach, creating curiosity about the future of Mario Balotelli, who joined the Serie A team less than a month ago.

Vieira and Balotelli share a history as teammates during their time at Inter Milan and Manchester City. However, their relationship became strained when Vieira managed Nice, which subsequently led to Balotelli’s transfer to Marseille.

The 48-year-old Vieira brings a wealth of experience as he has previously led New York City FC in Major League Soccer, and has also taken charge of Crystal Palace and Strasbourg after his stint at Nice.

In a concise statement, Genoa announced Vieira as the replacement for Alberto Gilardino, who was unexpectedly dismissed from his position on Tuesday. Vieira’s first training session with the team was scheduled for the afternoon of the announcement.

Throughout a distinguished playing career, Vieira was a key player for France, contributing to their victory in the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship. He also claimed three Premier League titles with Arsenal and four Serie A titles while at Inter Milan.

His debut match as the head coach of Genoa will take place at home against Cagliari on Sunday in the Italian league. Both teams currently find themselves level on points, positioned just one point above the relegation zone.

Genoa has faced challenges this season, having lost half of their matches. Despite this, Gilardino’s firing came as a surprise, particularly as he seemed to be steering the team in a more promising direction by securing four points in their two matches prior to the international break. Moreover, the returning players from injury added a sense of optimism for the team’s upcoming matches.