Atalanta Dismisses Ivan Juric After Poor Performance
Atalanta, a Serie A club, has decided to part ways with former Southampton manager Ivan Juric after only five months in charge. The decision came following a significant 3-0 loss to Sassuolo at home on Sunday, which marked the end of Juric’s tenure as the team’s head coach.
The club officially announced the dismissal on Monday, revealing that five members of Juric’s backroom staff would also be leaving the club. The statement from Atalanta read: “Atalanta BC announces that Ivan Jurić has been relieved of his duties as First Team coach, along with his closest collaborators, namely Matteo Paro, Miguel Veloso, Paolo Barbero, Stjepan Ostojić, and Michele Orecchio. Atalanta BC thanks Ivan Jurić and his staff for their commitment and wishes them all the best for the future.”
Juric was appointed as Gian Piero Gasperini’s successor in June, after the Italian manager left Bergamo for Roma. However, he only managed to take charge of 15 games across all competitions before being let go. At the time of his departure, Atalanta was sitting 13th in the Serie A table.
Struggles Under Juric’s Leadership
Under Juric’s guidance, Atalanta managed only two wins out of 11 league fixtures. The team’s performance continued to decline, and there were signs of unrest within the dressing room. Just last week, an incident involving Juric and one of his players, Ademola Lookman, made headlines.
During a Champions League match against Marseille, Lookman was substituted by Juric. This led to an altercation between the manager and the player. According to reports, Juric grabbed Lookman while they exchanged words. The situation was eventually diffused by CEO Luca Percassi and teammate Marten de Roon, who intervened to prevent further escalation.
The incident occurred in the 75th minute when the score was 0-0. Lookman appeared shocked and angry about being taken off the pitch. After the game, Juric approached Lookman again, but it is unclear whether this was to resolve the issue or continue the dispute.
Previous Dismissals and Challenges
This is not the first time Juric has faced dismissal this year. He was previously let go by Southampton after a brief and unsuccessful stint last season. His time at the Premier League club ended just 24 hours after the team suffered the earliest relegation in the history of the league after just 31 games.
At Southampton, Juric took over from Russell Martin in December 2024. He managed only one win and 12 losses in 14 Premier League games, resulting in the worst points-per-game record for any manager who had overseen more than 10 matches. His record of four points in 14 games equates to 0.29 points per match.
Juric’s sacking at Southampton was even quicker than his time at Atalanta. Prior to that, he was dismissed by Roma after just 12 games in charge during the previous season.
Future Prospects
Despite these challenges, Juric remains a figure of interest in football management. His experiences at various clubs have highlighted both his potential and the difficulties he faces in managing high-pressure environments. Whether he can turn his career around remains to be seen, but his journey so far has been marked by rapid changes and tough decisions.