Sassuolo confirm Malesani as new coach

Di Francesco left the club on Tuesday and Sassulo, 18th in Serie A, have opted for Malesani, whose most recent coaching role came at Palermo, as his successor.

A statement on the club's website read: "Sassuolo Calcio announces that it has entrusted the task of coaching the first team to Mr. Alberto Malesani.

"Mister Malesani will direct the team's training this afternoon (Wednesday)."

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani claimed on Tuesday that the club's youth-team coach Filippo Inzaghi had been a target for Sassuolo, but the strugglers have opted for 59-year-old Malesani.

He has spent almost all of his managerial career in Italy, venturing abroad for a spell with Panathanaikos in 2005, but lasted less than a month with Palermo before being sacked last February.

Sassulo have won just one of their last eight Serie A matches.

Malesani is due to take charge of his first match against Verona on Sunday.