Fiorentina next manager candidates

Following a season in which Fiorentina finished 6th in Serie A, qualifying for the Europa Conference League whilst achieving their highest position in Serie A since the 2015-2016 season, when they finished 5th, La Viola fans were shocked to hear of Palladino's resignation at the end of May. Fiorentina hope their next manager can build on their Serie A finish while finally leading the club to glory in the Conference League following 2 consecutive final appearances in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 and narrowly missing out on the final this season at the hands of Real Betis in the semi-final. Join us here at Gafferumours as we take a look at who could take up the post in Florence.

The Favourite: Stefano Pioli

According to various media outlets, former Scudetto winner with AC Milan and current manager of Ronaldo at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Stefano Pioli, is the favourite to take up the position. Pioli is a former Fiorentina player, having spent 6 seasons in Florence and managing the club in the 2017/2018 season, leading them to 8th place in the Italian top flight. Pioli resigned in April of the following season. Pioli's plaudits were mostly earned in his most recent spell managing in Italy, leading AC Milan to the Scudetto in the 2021/2022 season. Pioli's current spell in Riyadh led Ronaldo's team to a 3rd place finish in the Saudi Pro League this season. Amidst rumours of a deteriorating relationship with Ronaldo and poor results, it is rumoured that Pioli may be keen to return to his home country. Pioli represents a safe set of hands with his experience in the game.

Lombardy to Tuscany?: Sergio Conceicao

After gaining plaudits for his spell as Porto manager, keeping his team competitive despite financial constraints, winning the league 3 times in his 7 seasons, as well as 4 Portuguese cups, including an impressive 3 consecutive cups in a row from 2021-2024. Coinceiao was drafted midway through this season to save AC Milan's season following the sacking of Paulo Fonseca. The future was looking very bright for the Rossoneri after winning the Italian Super Cup in their first 2 games. However, fast forward to the end of the season, and Milan finished 8th, losing out on a spot in Europe next season and were edged out by Bologna in the Coppa Italia Final. Following a mutual parting of ways, Conceicao may be enticed to move a bit further south to Tuscany, where he would be further away from the intense pressure of being the manager of the Rossoneri. Conceicao would be a shrewd appointment and must be considered due to his impressive track record in difficult circumstances. While Conceicao's performance in domestic cup competitions for Milan has been formidable, his league performance may be a cause for concern in the boardroom.

The young tactician: Thiago Motta

Thiago Motta's acclamation as football manager was at its peak following his splendid performance in Bologna in the 2023/2024 season, finishing 5th in the league, earning a place in the Champions League for the first time since the 1964/1965 season. However, upon taking up the post as Juventus manager this season, he received his marching orders following several draws and suffering heavy losses. Nonetheless, the young Motta remains a fascinating tactician with the potential to become an elite manager. Firenze could be the city that benefits from appointing him.

Gafferumours suggests: Francesco Farioli

Despite final day misery for Farioli at Ajax at the end of the season, the young Tuscan native remains an alluring proposition for La Viola. Ajax were 9 points clear at the top of the Eredivisie with 5 games left to play. Incredibly, Ajax bottled their lead with PSV winning the league on the final day. Despite their collapse, Farioli's track record of improving teams is evident. Farioli joined Nice at the start of the 2023/2024 Ligue 1 season, Nice had finished 9th in the league the previous season. Farioli led them to 5th in the league in his sole season in charge. Ajax had finished 5th in the Eredivisie in the 2023/2024 season prior to Farioli's appointment. Farioli led Ajax to second in his only season in charge, one point away from the title. Farioli has a trend in his last 2 jobs of immediately improving teams before falling off later in the season. However, Farioli is a young coach who has a lot to learn, but remains a pragmatic coach with the selling point of being a native of Tuscany and appointing him may resonate well with the supporters of the club.

The Veteran: Roberto Mancini

Decorated Manager Roberto Mancini's stock has taken a hit following his Euro 2020 triumph with Italy. After guiding Italy to European glory, Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and lost the Finalissima to Argentina. He took up the lucrative job as Saudi Arabia manager. However, an underwhelming performance in the Asian Cup, getting knocked out in the round of 16 by South Korea, led to a parting of ways. Mancini is no stranger to Fiorentina, previously coaching La Viola from 2001 to 2002. Mancini managed to win the 2000/2001 Coppa Italia in his short stint in charge, coincidentally being the last manager to win a trophy with Fiorentina. Is it written in the stars that after winning a trophy in difficult circumstances, Mancini could return to the helm and be the man to end their trophy drought?

Return to the roots?: Domenico Tedesco

Domenico Tedesco remains a free agent following his most recent spell as Belgium national team manager; could a return to club management be on the cards? Tedesco has an impressive managerial resume, boasting of leading Schalke to finish second in the Bundesliga, as well as guiding RB Leipzig to DFB Pokal glory. His most recent job as head coach of Belgium bore mixed results. He led Belgium to an impressive 15-match unbeaten run; however, Belgium's mediocre Euro 2024 campaign may count against him. Tedesco has shown throughout his career the impressive ability to produce immediate results. Picking Tedesco would give him the chance to manage in his native Italy for the first time. Tedesco may be a short-term fix for La Viola due to his short tenures at clubs, however, his track record could be perfect for Fiorentina to maintain their desired status.

Who else is linked?

Other names mentioned in the press include Daniele De Rossi (formerly of Roma), Patrick Viera (Genoa manager), Alberto Gilardino (formerly of Genoa) and Alberto Aquilani (formerly of Pisa).