Inter Milan boss Gigi Simoni announced yesterday that he had been sacked, just hours after picking up the "Golden Bench" award for being the best coach in Italy.

"What's being said about me are not rumours, they are facts: it's true, I have been sacked," he said, after being informed of the club's decision at 5.30 p.m. by top official Sandro Mazzola. "For the moment, I have not spoken to the president nor with any other club executives," Simoni said. "I really wasn't expecting it. And I take note of it with a great deal of displeasure."

Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu is expected to replace Simoni, but club spokesman Sandro Sabatini said: "Inter are neither confirming nor denying the story. We will issue a statement in the morning."

Ironically, Simoni's last day with Inter started with him receiving an annual Italian Football Federation award at the national team's training base at Coverciano, outside Florence. Simoni was voted the best by all his fellow coaches of the Serie A and Serie B.

However, the trip to Coverciano also revealed the start of a split with club president Massimo Moratti. Simoni said it had been programmed for Ronaldo to miss this weekend's league game against Vicenza, to rest the Brazilian's injured tendons.

But Moratti responded from his offices in Milan saying: "Programmed with who? If people are going to talk amongst themselves and not say anything to me, then . . . I think this whole affair is being turned into competition to see who knows the most."