De Zerbi, Farioli, Maresca: Italian coaches shine abroad, Serie A questioned | OneFootball

They are young, successful, and deeply Italian. Roberto De Zerbi, Francesco Farioli, and Enzo Maresca today represent the most modern and international face of the new generation of Italian coaches.

De Zerbi, Farioli, and Maresca: Italian excellence forced to emigrate. Three success stories that challenge Serie A

Three coaches who, despite their talent and results, had to leave Serie A to be recognized as protagonists in European football.

The paradox is clear: while abroad their ideas and mentality are highly sought after, in Italy no major team has yet decided to entrust them with a long-term project.

De Zerbi, Marseille, and the tactical revolution in Ligue 1

Roberto De Zerbi has reached the top of Ligue 1 with a Marseille capable of beating Paris Saint-Germain, an achievement that has reignited enthusiasm in France for technical and courageous football.

His approach, based on building from the back and organized pressing, has made the team one of the most spectacular in Europe. “I want my team to dominate the game, not suffer it,” declared the coach from Brescia in a recent interview.

Yet, in Italy, the only real opportunity De Zerbi received was at Sassuolo, a stint that did not open the doors to the big clubs.

Farioli and Porto: young leadership, veteran results

At 35, Francesco Farioli has become the symbol of the new school of Italian coaches abroad. His Porto leads the Portuguese league with a proactive, balanced, and modern style of play.

Having developed through experiences in youth sectors and collaboration with De Zerbi, Farioli represents the continuity of a footballing philosophy based on possession, intensity, and attention to detail.

Yet, he has never personally coached an Italian team, not even in Serie C. This absence says a lot about the system: the courage to rely on young coaches still seems to be a taboo in Italian football.

Maresca, from Parma to world triumph with City

Finally, Enzo Maresca, now coach of Manchester City, world club champions. After a brief and complicated experience at Parma in Serie B, the former Juventus and Sevilla midfielder found abroad the ideal environment to express his vision of the game.

Alongside Pep Guardiola, whom he assisted, Maresca absorbed the principles of an advanced positional football, now bringing them to a team that dominates with tactical intelligence and flexibility.

His journey is proof that Italian talent, if valued, can excel at the highest international levels.

Why is it so hard to believe in new coaches in Italy?

The question remains: why does Italy, home to great coaches, tend not to trust its own innovators?

In our league, writes Cocchi, “there is great attention to the defensive phase, and anyone who tries different paths is not seen in the best light.” The result is a system where patience is a rare commodity: just a few negative results are enough for a project to be abandoned.

Unlike other countries, where coaches are supported over time, in Serie A it is preferred to change course mid-season, giving up on building an identity.

The exception and the compromise: Cuesta and the lesson from Parma

The most recent example is that of Cuesta, a Spanish coach called to lead Parma by Giovanni Cherubini, who had appreciated him in the Juventus youth staff.

Trained in Arteta’s school at Arsenal, Cuesta immediately adapted his philosophy: “If I had insisted on possession and extreme initiative, I would have had a short life,” he reportedly confided to his collaborators.

The result is a Parma that plays with pragmatism, in full Italian style. A choice of survival more than conviction.

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