( CNN ) -- Inter Milan sacked coach Andrea Stramaccioni Friday and replaced him immediately with Walter Mazzarri . Stramaccioni departs after a dismal season for the famed Nerazzurri , who finished the season a lowly ninth in Serie A and missed out on European competition . By contrast , Mazzari , who has been at Napoli for four seasons , has guided them back into the Champions League and they finished second to champions Juventus in this year 's standings . He recently announced he would be leaving at the end of the season and was immediately linked with Inter , who will be appointing their sixth coach since the departure of Jose Mourinho three years ago . Mourinho guided Inter to the Champions League crown before joining Real Madrid but his old charges have been in decline since that triumph . Stramaccioni was the latest to attempt to turn it around at the San Siro , but despite the poor results club president Massimo Moratti had kind words . `` I 've chosen Mazzarri , I 'm sorry for Stramaccioni , '' he was quoted on the official Inter website . He added `` That takes nothing away from the esteem I hold for Stramaccioni 's talent and potential . `` I 'm convinced he 'll become one of the great Italian coaches but it might also be necessary to save his professional future after a particularly unlucky year , and maybe he needs to find an easier situation than Inter . `` We 're coming to a difficult season and I thought we 'd need a coach with Mazzarri 's experience . '' It has left Napoli without a coach , but reports have strongly linked Rafael Benitez with the vacant post after the Spaniard 's interim spell at Chelsea ended with a Europa Cup win . Benitez was Mourinho 's first successor at Inter Milan , but was unable to repeat his success .
Inter Milan sack coach Andrea Stramaccioni . Pays the price for dismal season with Inter ninth in Serie A . Replaced by Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri . Rafael Benitez linked with now vacant post at Napoli .