Fiorentina, Pioli stays for now as new manager names emerge | OneFootball

Three decisive matches after the break: Milan, Inter, and Bologna could change the coach’s fate

Fiorentina, Pioli stays for now but trust isn’t endless: first names emerge for the bench

The official line at Fiorentina remains clear: “Pioli is untouchable.” But the reality tells a different story. With just three points in six matches, the team has plunged into the heart of the relegation zone, and the coming weeks could prove decisive for the coach’s future.

The Viola management — while reiterating their trust in the coach — knows very well that results must change immediately. After the break, in fact, the schedule presents a nerve-wracking tour de force:

Milan at San Siro,

Bologna at home,

and Inter again in Milan.

Three matches that could shape the entire season.

Pioli, a team without a stable identity

Assigning precise blame to Stefano Pioli isn’t easy. The former Milan coach has had to manage a packed infirmary and several key players not at their best, such as Albert Gudmundsson, who arrived in the summer to bring quality and unpredictability to the attack.

The main problem, however, seems tied to the lack of a defined tactical structure. Within a few weeks, Fiorentina has changed formation multiple times:

two strikers and an attacking midfielder,

two attacking midfielders and one striker,

five-man midfield,

up to the chaotic ending of the last match against Roma with Džeko, Kean, and Piccoli all on the pitch at the same time.

Choices that seem less like conscious tactical experimentation and more the result of an emergency, a sign of a group searching for balance and certainty.

Possible replacements: from Spalletti to Thiago Motta, up to the dream of Mancini

Even though Pioli is officially not under discussion, the coaching market has already started moving. The first names circulating in recent hours are of very different profiles:

Luciano Spalletti, former national team coach and manager of Napoli’s third Scudetto, would represent a prestigious and high-profile return, but it seems an unlikely scenario.

Thiago Motta, fresh from his experience at Juventus, is a young, ambitious coach looking for redemption after a difficult season.

Daniele De Rossi, an emerging figure already appreciated for his tactical imprint at Roma, is seen as a possible leader for a renewal project.

Roberto Mancini, finally, is the most romantic suggestion: the former Italy coach began his managerial career right in Florence almost 25 years ago, and a return to the Viola would carry strong symbolic value.

Fiorentina, an immediate turning point is needed

While waiting to see how the situation evolves, Fiorentina is called to react immediately. The club is carefully evaluating every scenario but does not want to spread panic among the fans.

Pioli, for his part, knows he has a lot at stake. Three matches to turn things around and dispel doubts. Three matches to prove that his Fiorentina can still get back up.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.