Ballardini back at Genoa

Davide Ballardini has returned to Genoa to become the Serie A club's new head coach following Luigi Del Neri's dismissal last night. The 49-year-old managed the Rossoblu between November 2010 and June 2011 and returns to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris after a 2-0 home defeat to Catania put paid to Del Neri's three-month stint in charge. A statement on genoacfc.it read: "Genoa announces that it has entrusted the management of the first team to coach Davide Ballardini, who led the team in the 2010-11 season. "The club issues its best wishes to the new coach and announces that Ballardini will meet with representatives of the media today, at Villa Rostan." Ballardini becomes Genoa's third coach of the season, following in the footsteps of Del Neri and Luigi De Canio, who was sacked eight games into the current campaign. Former Juventus boss Del Neri was charged with guiding the Grifone away from the relegation places when appointed on October 22, but a run of nine defeats from 13 games saw the Ligurian club struggle to emerge from the bottom three. Del Neri left the club in 17th place and three points from safety ahead of a daunting trip to league leaders Juve. Ravenna-born Ballardini has enjoyed three separate spells in charge of Cagliari, his most recent stint ending in March 2012, as well as spending seasons with Pescara, Palermo and Lazio. From FIFA