We’re only a month on from the end of the 2024/25 season in Italy and already there’s more talking points that throughout most of the actual season. And the main one seems to be, who on Earth is going to be managing in Serie A next season?
Axes have been wielded, resignations have been handed in and managers have been caught flirting with rival clubs. So what’s going on? And what’s still to come? Hopefully I’ve made sense of it below for you…
Fiorentina
After being appointed in June last year to replace Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino has left the club “by mutual consent”. There’s no replacement as yet, although Stefan Pioli is being heavily linked with the role according to Viola Nation. Seen by some as a stabilising influence, he’ll need to use all his experience to turn around a gradual decline in Firenze.
Atalanta
After 9 very successful years at the club, Gian Piero Gasperini has left Atalanta. During his time in Bergamo, Gasperini led Atalanta into the Champions League five times and his tenure was characterised by swashbuckling attacking play. He famously led the team to the 2024 Europa League title.
His replacement at Atalanta? It’s a baffling one… Ivan Juric has been handed the reigns in Northern Italy. That’s the same Ivan Juric that oversaw a disastrous spell in Rome last season before heading to England to somehow make Southampton worse than they already were – avoiding being the worst team in Premier League history by 1 point.
Roma
Gasperini comes through the door at Roma replacing firm fan favourite Claudio Ranieri. His move “upstairs” may be put on hold, however, with the news that Spalletti is leaving the national team job. Ranieri is the favourite to take the Azzurri through the rest of the World Cup qualifying campaign. Watch this space!
Lazio
Across the city and Roma’s great rivals Lazio have also had a change in the dugout after a rather underwhelming end to the season. A comeback draw at the San Siro to hand Napoli the Scudetto was a brief highlight in an otherwise forgettable season under Marco Baroni. He was dismissed and Maurizio Sarri is back after a 15 month hiatus. Sarri was announced in spectacular fashion by the media team at Lazio and the former banker will be chain smoking his way through next season with the hopes he can restore the Lazio empire.
AC Milan
In Italy’s second city, change is also afoot. For the second time in a season Milan sacked their manager after Fonseca didn’t see in 2025, Conceicao is now also gone. An underwhelming season all round, Conceicao paid the price for an 8th place finish and no European football next season after a Coppa Italia final defeat. However, brief respite was offered in the shape of a 3-2 defeat of city rivals Inter in the Supercoppa final.
Allegri returns to Milan for next season after a break from the game following a trophy-laden spell at Juventus. In his first spell at Milan, he won the Serie A title and Supercoppa, Milan certainly hope he can repeat that next season.
Inter Milan
So near, yet so far to a treble. Dumped out of the Coppa Italia in the semi finals by Milan, beaten in the Supercoppa final, trounced in the Champions League final and second to Napoli by a point. Inter’s season could broadly be viewed as fairly successful until April. Simone Inzaghi was in demand from Al-Hilal and the news breaking in the run up to the final didn’t help their preparation.
A mutual parting followed a 5-0 defeat from PSG. Inter acted swiftly to woo Cesc Fabregas who promptly turned them down in a rather embarrassing episode. Christian Chivu is the man to take them forward. Their former centre back was manager of the Under 19 team who won the Primavera before being installed at Parma to secure Serie A survival. It’s a gamble, but Inter weren’t left with much choice with the Club World Cup on the horizon.
Torino
Further down the table, Torino parted company with Paolo Vanoli and replaced him almost immediately with Marco Baroni following his sacking by Lazio.
Parma
Parma only confirmed today that Christian Chivu had left the club after only a few short months. He replaced Fabio Pecchia in February and had the brief to save the club from an immediate return to Serie B. He did it, and then left for Inter. Rumours about a replacement are few and far between, but they’ll need to act fast to avoid losing out in the summer transfer window.
Italy National Team
In true bizarre fashion, national team manager Luciano Spalletti announced his own sacking in a press conference after a 3-0 defeat in Norway. But he’s not going anywhere yet… He’s managing the team tonight against Moldova before finally leaving. Clear? Thought not. Ranieri is the favourite to replace him since Calcio has some clear agenda on letting the poor guy retire in peace.
And there you have it. It’s been a matter of weeks since Serie A finished and the soap opera continues. Honourable mention to Juventus who look set to appoint Igor Tudor permanently after he finished off the season Thiago Motta started. Who do you think is the best appointment? Who’s undersold themselves and Who just got it plain wrong?
The Calcio Blog 
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