Mancini Viola departure confirmed

The former Italian international did not take training, with assistant boss Luigi Chiarugi putting the players through their paces, and poised to take temporary charge for the weekend encounter with Verona.

Off-the-field problems did not help Mancini's cause but the side are deep in relegation trouble, and would be in severe financial trouble if they were to slide into Serie B.

Another former Azzurri international, Giancarlo De Sisti, is in the frame to take over the reins in the near future.

The man nicknamed 'Picchio' is believed to be considering taking up the challenge in Florence.

It is also being claimed that Internazionale duo Adriano and Anselmo Robbiati have signed their contracts with La Viola, but the transfer situation at Artemio Franchi is still rather complicated due to the administrators' control of the purse strings.

Click here for our earlier Mancini story.