Ajax football coach Francesco Farioli resigned from his position today.
Along with Farioli, assistant coaches Daniele Cavalletto and Felipe Sanchez Mateos, as well as goalkeeping coach Jarko Tuomisto will also leave the coaching staff, according to the Dutch club's website.
"This is incredibly disappointing. Francesco and his coaching staff have been a great help to us. It has been an intense season filled with many unforgettable moments, and we have achieved our goal: qualifying for the Champions League. Francesco has also played a key role in fostering a high-performance culture at Ajax, for which we are extremely grateful. The summer transfer window should have been challenging enough, but it has now become even more so. It is up to us to ensure a strong new coaching staff when pre-season preparations begin on June 26," Ajax technical director Alex Kroes said, as reported by the club's website.
Ajax qualified for next season's Champions League after finishing second in the Dutch league.
The Amsterdam club was first in the table with a nine-point lead over PSV with seven rounds remaining in the championship. The Eindhoven club managed to end the season with seven consecutive wins, while Ajax recorded two losses and a draw, which was enough for PSV to overtake them in the table and become Dutch champions with a point lead.
Farioli joined Ajax in May last year, signing a contract until June 2027.
"My journey at Ajax began almost a year ago, at De Toekomst, with the aim of putting Ajax back where it belongs. And it ended at the Johan Cruyff Arena, finally bringing Ajax back to the Champions League, the biggest stage in European football. We wanted to bring new energy to the entire Ajax community, sharing a positive way of working at all levels," said Farioli.
The Italian expert, who previously coached Nice, Alanyaspor and Fatih Karagumruk, led the Dutch club's team in a total of 54 matches, in which he recorded 35 wins, eight draws and 11 losses.
"Being the first non-Dutch coach at Ajax since 1998 and the first Italian coach at the club has been an absolute privilege, together with my staff we have accepted this enormous challenge with respect, responsibility, passion and determination to succeed. Earning the respect and support of the Ajax fans that we have felt throughout the season has meant a lot to me and my coaching staff. Together we have all experienced incredible and unforgettable moments, a unique, intense, emotional season in which we shared faith, fighting spirit and pride, finally achieving our goal, fulfilling our mission," added Farioli.
Ajax also reached the round of 16 of the Europa League this season, where they were eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt, while they lost to AZ Alkmaar in the round of 16 of the Dutch Cup.
"The management and I have the same goals for the future of Ajax, but we have different visions and timelines on the way we need to work and act to achieve those goals. Given these differences in the principles and fundamentals of the project, deep down I feel that this is the best time to part ways," concluded Farioli.
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