Rome (AFP) – Juventus have sacked coach Andrea Pirlo after a single season in charge, the deposed Italian champions announced on Friday.

The club released a statement headlined “Good Luck, Andrea Pirlo” after a season in which Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates lost the Serie A title to Inter Milan and were eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Pirlo’s departure is widely expected to lead to the return of Massimiliano Allegri who led Juve to five Serie A titles between 2014 and 2019.

The sacking adds to a series of departures of coaches at Europe’s leading clubs in a turbulent week.

Zinedine Zidane quit Real Madrid on Thursday after a rare trophyless season for the Spanish giants.

And Antonio Conte, who led Inter to their first Italian title for 11 years, left the club on Wednesday, reportedly in protest at the owners’ plans to sell the best players.