<p>AC Milan on Tuesday sacked coach Marco Giampaolo after just seven games in charge as the former European giants slipped to 13th place in Serie A, with ex-Inter Milan coach Stefano Pioli poised to take over.</p>.<p>Giampaolo replaced former Milan hero Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned after missing out on Champions League football last season with a fifth-place finish. But after a run of four defeats that includes a 2-0 derby defeat to Inter the seven-time European champions are just three points above the relegation zone.</p>.<p>"The club is grateful to Marco for the work carried out and wishes him all the best to come in his professional career," the team said in a statement.</p>.<p>The 52-year-old struggled from the outset at cash-strapped Milan, who surrendered their Europa League berth this season after breaching UEFA's financial fair play rules. Saturday's 2-1 victory at Genoa wasn't enough to save the former Sampdoria boss, who had been the seventh coach to sit on the Milan bench in the past five years.</p>.<p>Pioli is reported to be set to take over the ailing club, who won the last of their 18 Italian league titles in 2011.</p>.<p>The Gazzetta Dello Sport said Pioli was ready to sign a two-year contract on Wednesday morning worth 1.5 million euros ($1.64 million).</p>.<p>"Tomorrow we'll talk," Pioli told journalists as he arrived in Milan for negotiations on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Pioli has spent his entire 16-year coaching career in Italy with clubs including Bologna, Lazio, Inter and Fiorentina, but has never won any trophies as a coach. The #PioliOut hashtag quickly trended worldwide on Twitter thanks to the angry reaction from Milan fans.</p>.<p>The 53-year-old guided Lazio to the Champions League in 2015 and was coach of Fiorentina when captain Davide Astori died in his sleep ahead of a match last year. Milan hope he can bring stability to the club that has experienced its share of backroom drama after being sold twice in the last two years.</p>.<p>Italian media mogul and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi sold the club to Chinese businessman Li Yonghong in 2017 with US hedge fund Elliot Management assuming control in July 2018.</p>.<p>Ex-Brazil international Leonardo stepped down as sporting director earlier this year to move to Paris Saint-Germain with former stars Paolo Maldini and Zvonimir Boban taking over.</p>.<p>Former Inter Milan coach Luciano Spalletti was reported to have been the team's number one choice as their next coach.</p>.<p>However, the 60-year-old has not been able to agree severance terms with Inter, where he remains under contract until 2021, despite being replaced by Antonio Conte.</p>
<p>AC Milan on Tuesday sacked coach Marco Giampaolo after just seven games in charge as the former European giants slipped to 13th place in Serie A, with ex-Inter Milan coach Stefano Pioli poised to take over.</p>.<p>Giampaolo replaced former Milan hero Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned after missing out on Champions League football last season with a fifth-place finish. But after a run of four defeats that includes a 2-0 derby defeat to Inter the seven-time European champions are just three points above the relegation zone.</p>.<p>"The club is grateful to Marco for the work carried out and wishes him all the best to come in his professional career," the team said in a statement.</p>.<p>The 52-year-old struggled from the outset at cash-strapped Milan, who surrendered their Europa League berth this season after breaching UEFA's financial fair play rules. Saturday's 2-1 victory at Genoa wasn't enough to save the former Sampdoria boss, who had been the seventh coach to sit on the Milan bench in the past five years.</p>.<p>Pioli is reported to be set to take over the ailing club, who won the last of their 18 Italian league titles in 2011.</p>.<p>The Gazzetta Dello Sport said Pioli was ready to sign a two-year contract on Wednesday morning worth 1.5 million euros ($1.64 million).</p>.<p>"Tomorrow we'll talk," Pioli told journalists as he arrived in Milan for negotiations on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Pioli has spent his entire 16-year coaching career in Italy with clubs including Bologna, Lazio, Inter and Fiorentina, but has never won any trophies as a coach. The #PioliOut hashtag quickly trended worldwide on Twitter thanks to the angry reaction from Milan fans.</p>.<p>The 53-year-old guided Lazio to the Champions League in 2015 and was coach of Fiorentina when captain Davide Astori died in his sleep ahead of a match last year. Milan hope he can bring stability to the club that has experienced its share of backroom drama after being sold twice in the last two years.</p>.<p>Italian media mogul and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi sold the club to Chinese businessman Li Yonghong in 2017 with US hedge fund Elliot Management assuming control in July 2018.</p>.<p>Ex-Brazil international Leonardo stepped down as sporting director earlier this year to move to Paris Saint-Germain with former stars Paolo Maldini and Zvonimir Boban taking over.</p>.<p>Former Inter Milan coach Luciano Spalletti was reported to have been the team's number one choice as their next coach.</p>.<p>However, the 60-year-old has not been able to agree severance terms with Inter, where he remains under contract until 2021, despite being replaced by Antonio Conte.</p>