<p>NAPLES, Italy &mdash; Luciano Spalletti was hired Saturday as the new coach of Napoli, which parted ways with Gennaro Gattuso after failing to qualify for the Champions League.</p>
<p>In his last coaching job, Spalletti led Inter Milan to two straight fourth-place finishes and qualification to the Champions League. He left the club in May 2019.</p>
<p>Napoli had to settle for a Europa League spot after finishing this season in fifth, one point behind Juventus.</p>
<p>“I am delighted to announce that Luciano Spalletti will become Napoli coach on 1 July,” club president Aurelio De Laurentiis <a href="https://www.sscnapoli.it/static/news/-De-Laurentiis-welcomes-Luciano-Spalletti-We%E2%80%99ll-do-great-work-together-22906.aspx">said in a statement</a>. “Welcome, Luciano — we’ll do great work together.”</p>
<p>The 62-year-old Spalletti has also coached Roma, Udinese and Zenit St. Petersburg.</p>
<p>Gattuso was named coach of Fiorentina on Tuesday, two days after his final game with Napoli.</p>
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