Lazio

Relegation-threatened Udinese fires Nicola after 4 months

Published Mar. 20, 2019 4:07 p.m. ET

UDINE, Italy (AP) — Only one point above the relegation zone with 11 matches to play, Udinese has fired its coach for the second time this season.

The northern club announced the removal of Davide Nicola on Wednesday, four months after Nicola was hired to replace Julio Velazquez.

Igor Tudor was rehired to replace Nicola, having previously helped Udinese avoid relegation over the final four matches of last season.

The move comes three days after a 4-2 loss at Napoli left Udinese 16th, level on points with Empoli and one point above Bologna.

Udinese is one spot below where the club sat when Nicola was hired in November.

Despite a modest budget, Udinese has remained in Serie A continuously since the 1995-96 season — behind only Inter Milan, Roma, AC Milan and Lazio in terms of consecutive seasons in the top division.

It's the 11th coaching change in the 20-team Serie A this season.

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