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AS Roma's head coach Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique has quit as manager of AS Roma, putting an end to a troubled reign in charge of the Serie A side, the club's general director confirmed on Friday.

"His work was good. At a certain point it wore him out and he felt the need to stop," general director Franco Baldini told Sky. "He won't be training anywhere next season.

"We invited him to take all the time he needed to decide, hoping right until the end that he would stay."

Italian media had reported Luis Enrique's departure on Thursday, after a video surfaced of him apparently saying to goodbye to the players at the club's training ground, but neither Roma, nor the coach himself, confirmed the news.

The season has been a tough one for Roma, whose new owners, led by American Thomas DiBenedetto, put the Spaniard in charge of a long-term project that they hoped would make the club as successful as the big three of AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan.

However, the club have suffered 14 defeats, are seventh in the league with one game to play and may not qualify for Europe next season.

The club remained publicly supportive of Luis Enrique but it was clear that pressure from fans and the local media irritated him.

Baldini said the club was committed to a flamboyant style of play which would continue under the new manager.

"The project hasn't failed, we want to carry on playing a certain type of football, and from league statistics Roma is the team that has had more possession than any other, and is third behind Juve and Milan for territorial dominance and pass completion.

"This says a lot about the quality of play. The failure has been how our league campaign went, but the style of play was want we wanted from the beginning.

Former Roma striker Vincenzo Montella, who coached the club in the second half of last season after Claudio Ranieri's departure, has been tipped to take Luis Enrique's place but Baldini said the club had not yet lined up anyone.

"I don't know (about Montella). From when we knew that Enrique was leaving we have thought about alternatives, but we haven't had the time to contact anyone.

"I don't know how long it will be before we know the name of our new coach, (but outgoing Barcelona coach Pep) Guardiola would be science-fiction."

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Russian coach Dick Advocaat

Russia coach Dick Advocaat has dropped experienced midfielders Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Vladimir Bystrov from a 26-man preliminary squad for Euro 2012.

Bilyaletdinov, 27, joined Spartak Moscow in January following a disappointing 2-1/2-year spell with English Premier League club Everton but has struggled to regain his top form.

Zenit St Petersburg winger Bystrov, who like Bilyaletdinov played at Euro 2008 where Russia surprisingly reached the semi-finals under Advocaat's predecessor Guus Hiddink, was also left out of the squad announced on Friday.

In another surprise move, Dutchman Advocaat recalled Sporting midfielder Marat Izmailov, who had not played for the national team since 2006.

Izmailov, once regarded as one of the most talented Russian players and a veteran of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, has struggled to overcome numerous injuries in recent years.

But the 29-year-old winger has shown glimpses of his old brilliance this season while playing for his Portuguese club.

Advocaat, who will step down as Russia boss following the Euros to take charge of Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, also called up two newcomers, Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder Magomed Ozdoyev and Dynamo Moscow defender Vladimir Granat.

Euro 2012, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, starts on June 8 with Russia playing in Group A along with Poland, 2004 European champions Greece and the Czech Republic.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg), Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders: Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan), Roman Shishkin (Lokomotiv Moscow), Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow)

Midfielders: Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg), Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg), Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala), Alan Dzagoyev (CSKA Moscow), Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow), Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Magomed Ozdoyev (Lokomotiv Moscow), Marat Izmailov (Sporting), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow)

Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow), Artem Dzyuba (Spartak Moscow), Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham).

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Fc Juventus' players jubilate after scoring

Juventus will officially celebrate their 28th Serie A title at the weekend when they entertain Atalanta (1300) hoping to finish the season unbeaten, though the club and many fans say the championship success is their 30th.

Juve, who clinched the title last weekend after beating Cagliari 2-0 in Trieste, had the 2005 and 2006 titles stripped from them after the "calciopoli" match-fixing scandal.

"We have definitely won 30 titles on the pitch," said president Andrea Agnelli after the club put up a representation of the winners' scudetto, with "30" in the middle and three stars above it at their headquarters and their stadium.

* Four teams are still in the race for the third Champions League place, with Udinese, Lazio, Napoli and Inter Milan all fighting for a place in Europe's premier club competition.

Udinese currently hold third spot with 61 points, followed by Lazio on 59 and Napoli and Inter Milan each on 58.

Udinese need a point at Catania (1845) to guarantee third place because they have a better head-to-head record than Lazio.

Lazio face Inter at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday (1845) needing to win while hoping Udinese lose.

Napoli must beat visitors Siena (1845) and hope Udinese lose and Lazio fail to win in which case they would be level on points with Udinese but with a better head-to-head record.

Inter will only take third place if they beat Lazio, Udinese lose and Napoli fail to win.



* At the bottom, Lecce and Genoa are seeking to avoid relegation.

Lecce are at mid-table Chievo and Genoa host Palermo (both 1845 GMT). Lecce have to win and hope Palermo beat Genoa to preserve their top flight status.



* Luis Enrique will take charge of AS Roma for the last time against Cesena on Sunday (1600 GMT) after quitting as coach earlier in the week.

Enrique decided to leave after a difficult season in which his seventh-placed side have lost 14 league games and are in danger of missing out on European action next season.

"At a certain point it wore him out and he felt the need to stop," Roma general director Franco Baldini told Sky Italia.

"He won't be training anywhere next season. We invited him to take all the time he needed to decide hoping right until the end that he would stay."

* AC Milan will say goodbye to three club greats at the weekend after Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Filippo Inzaghi all announced they would be quitting the club.