Gianfranco Zola fired by Cagliari after 10 games

Milan: Gianfranco Zola was fired as coach of relegation-threatened Cagliari after 10 Serie A games and less than three months in charge on Monday.

"Cagliari announce that Gianfranco Zola and his staff have been relieved of the technical leadership of the first team," the Sardinian club said in a statement.

"It was a decision which was taken reluctantly against a great man who has written unforgettable pages in the history of Cagliari, bringing brilliance and giving international prestige to the land of Sardinia."

The former Napoli, Chelsea and Italy forward, who finished his playing career at the club in 2005, managed two wins, two draws and six defeats, leaving Cagliari joint 18th in the 20-team table and four points adrift of safety.