MILAN: Claudio Ranieri’s surprising long stay at Internazionale has finally come to an end after president Massimo Moratti decided the former world and European champions might be better off under youth team coach Andrea Stramaccioni.

A statement read: “President Massimo Moratti and everyone at Inter Milan would like to thank Claudio Ranieri and his staff for their professionalism, dedication and honesty during their time in charge of the team.

“Inter also announce that they have entrusted the team to Andrea Stramaccioni, the coach who won the first edition of the Next Generation Series.”

The last straw for Moratti was a 2-0 defeat by Juventus in the so-called ‘Italian Derby’ on Sunday. They have won only one of their last 10 Serie A matches, are 10 points adrift of the Champions League places, 22 behind leaders and neighbours AC Milan and crashed out of the Champions League on the away goals rule to Marseille.

The loss to Juve was Inter’s 12th of the league season, only one shy of the club record of 13 suffered in 1947-48.

Ranieri – 60-year-old former Roma, Atletico Madrid and  Chelsea coach – replaced Gianpiero Gasperini last September after the club’s worst start to the season in more than 50 years.

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