Sergio Scariolo is no longer the head coach of Virtus Bologna after the Italian club parted ways with him on Friday.
The Italian coach took over the team in 2021, winning the 2022 EuroCup title and leading Virtus back to the EuroLeague after 15 years. Sergio Scariolo was on an expiring contract and leaves the club after some comments he made during a preseason press conference on Wednesday.
“The coach’s statements released to the press on September 13, 2023, which follow those released during the end-of-season press conference on June 27, 2023, unfortunately undermine the serenity and enthusiasm of the Virtus environment and of the group that is preparing to face the first official commitments of the new sporting season with the aim of achieving important results at both the national and international level,” the club’s statement reads.
Comunicazione esonero di Sergio Scariolo ⬇https://t.co/n92UuvZXm1
— Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) September 15, 2023
Among other things, Sergio Scariolo said that Iffe Lundberg will not play for Virtus again and this was a front office decision, while he refused to say whether the club would be in a position to challenge for the EuroLeague playoffs.
“The club built this team, and they gave it to me,” the head coach of Spain also said. Virtus is now in search of his replacement, with the start of the new season just days away.
