Stuttgart have today sacked Pellegrino Matarazzo as their first team coach with the team in the relegation zone.
The former assistant coach of Hoffenheim was sacked after he started the new season poorly without any win from nine matches, losing four matches with five draws.
The American replaced Tim Walter in December 2019 and earned a promotion back to Bundesliga and a 9th place finish in his second season for Die Schwaben.
On sacking Matarazzo, the club announced that a successor has not been named.
“VfB owe a lot to Pellegrino Matarazzo. Promotion back to the Bundesliga and staying up twice in the league are closely linked to his name,” Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle said in a statement.
“The way in which Rino identified with VfB and always put the team spirit in the foreground is anything but a matter of course. I got to know him as a special person, which made the decision to stop working with him all the more difficult.
“Ultimately, however, we have come to the conclusion that a change in the coaching position is necessary to reverse the trend after the negative results of the past few weeks.
“We wish Rino all the best for the future. He will definitely continue his coaching career successfully.”
Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat said that Matarazzo met their “expectations” and “exceeded them” since he was appointed in 2019.
“Even in difficult sporting situations, we never questioned him because we were convinced that in him we had the best possible coach for us and our path.
“After an in-depth analysis of last season, when, as is well known, we were only able to secure our league status at the last minute, we started the new season with high hopes.
“Unfortunately, the results so far have not fulfilled these hopes. We are now at a point where we are convinced that Rino’s split is inevitable.”
Matarazzo added that his time at Stuttgart was “intense” and “beautiful.”
“I will be eternally grateful for the chance I was given here to gain a foothold in the coaching business. I always enjoyed coming to work and was able to work with a lot of great people.
“VfB is something special that you only understand after you are a part of it. I wish this team, this club with these fans, all the best and maximum success.”
