Davide Ballardini has returned for a fourth spell as coach of relegation-threatened Genoa after Rolando Maran was sacked on Monday.

"Genoa Cfc announces that it has entrusted the technical management of the first team to Davide Ballardini," the club said in a statement.

"The coach returns to Genoa, where he has already coached during three previous periods."

The 56-year-old was in charge of Genoa from 2010 to 2011 and then again in 2013, and 2017 while he has also had spells at Lazio, Palermo, Cagliari and Bologna.

On two of the three previous times he took over the team they were already deep in relegation trouble, but he managed to steer them to safety.

Genoa sacked Maran after the north-western port side fell to their eighth defeat of the season against promoted Benevento at the weekend.

Former Chievo and Cagliari boss Maran was appointed in August after the team secured top-flight survival with a 17th-place finish.

But the 57-year-old had a complicated start when more than 20 members of the squad were infected by Covid-19.

Genoa won their season opener 4-1 against promoted Crotone on September 20, but have not won since and are now second last in the table with seven points from 13 games.