LAZIO SACK STEFANO PIOLI, APPOINT SIMONE INZAGHI INTERIM MANAGER

Former Lazio striker Simone Inzaghi has replaced Stefano Pioli as manager following Sunday's heavy derby defeat to Roma.

Pioli was sacked after Lazio's 4-1 loss to their fiercest rivals, who are 18 points better off in Serie A and pushing Napoli for second place while theBiancoceleste languish in eighth.

Almost three hours after the final whistle at the Stadio Olimpico, Lazio released a statement which said Inzaghi, on the club's books as a player for more than a decade, had been put in charge.

Pioli, who previously coached Parma, Chievo, Palermo and Bologna, was a surprise replacement for Edy Reja in summer 2014, but led Lazio to a third-placed finish at the first time of asking.

Lazio

AS Roma

Success proved harder to come by this season, however, and a run of five defeats from seven games in the autumn cast serious doubts over his future.

Lazio rallied to go unbeaten for seven games, but league results dipped again, while Sparta Prague dumped them out of the Europa League in March.

Inzaghi, the younger brother of former Italy and AC Milan striker Filippo, had been coaching Lazio's youth teams and now takes the first-team reins for the final seven games of the season.