Genoa Dismisses Vieira: A Turbulent Chapter Ends as Serie A Pressure Heats Up
1 November 2025
Vieira's Genoa tenure ends
Genoa CFC announced on Saturday that French coach Patrick Vieira would be leaving his post after a run of disappointing results left the club near the bottom of Serie A.
According to BBC, Vieira's exit came by mutual agreement after talks on Friday night, concluding a process that saw both parties agree to terminate the contract amicably.
Vieira had taken charge in November 2024 but has yet to log a league victory this season.
A brief club statement thanked Vieira and his staff for their professionalism and wished them well for the future.
When he arrived, Genoa were 17th; he guided them to safety last season with eight wins and nine draws from 26 games, finishing 13th in the table.
This season's results have been harsher: only two wins in the Coppa Italia and six losses from nine league games, including five defeats in the last six.
Vieira's career at a glance
Vieira, a tenacious midfielder and a natural leader, is remembered for his intelligence and calm under pressure across European football.
Born in Dakar, Senegal in 1976, he moved to France at eight and began his career at Cannes before joining AC Milan in 1995. His talent soon drew the attention of Arsène Wenger, who brought him to Arsenal in 1996 in a move that became one of the club's pivotal chapters.
At Arsenal, Vieira became a pillar of midfield during a golden era, winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, and captaining the side that went through the 2003-04 season undefeated.
His style fused defensive strength with playmaking, and his leadership helped cement his status as a club legend and a French international.
After nine successful seasons in London, he moved to Juventus in 2005 but left shortly after amid the match-fixing scandal, then joined Inter Milan and won three Serie A titles between 2006 and 2009.
He finished his playing career with Manchester City in 2011.
Internationally, Vieira was part of France's World Cup-winning squad in 1998 and their Euro 2000 triumph, earning over 100 caps and sometimes serving as captain.
Post-retirement, he worked briefly in administration at Manchester City before starting his managerial career in 2016 with New York City FC, where he promoted a possession-based approach.
He returned to Europe in 2018 with Nice, finishing seventh in his first Ligue 1 season, before being dismissed in December 2020.
He then led Crystal Palace in 2021, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals before parting ways in March 2023 after a winless run of 12 matches.
In summer 2023, Vieira joined Strasbourg after Chelsea's owners BlueCo took over; he left by mutual consent in July 2024. A few months later, he took charge of Genoa in November 2024, and departed in October 2025 amid disappointing results.
Despite some missteps, Vieira remains widely respected for his tactical thinking and his calm leadership—qualities that have marked him since his playing days.
Many observers see him as part of a new generation of French coaches blending disciplined French foundations with modern attacking ideas learned in England.
The next chapter for Vieira may still hold promise, with opportunities likely to arise as he seeks to prove his potential on the touchline.
Punchline 1: If coaching were a sniper rifle, Vieira would reload after the first shot and still hit the plan right on target next time. Punchline 2: Genoa’s weather might be stormy, but the real thunder this season was Vieira’s alarm clock—time to rebuild, not to nap.
