Serie A’s Grand Coaching Experiment: Unpacking the 2025-26 Season

The Great Coaching Carousel: A League Transformed

The 2025-26 season promises to be a stark departure from the previous campaign, where Napoli’s thrilling Scudetto race with Inter dominated headlines. The off-season has seen an unprecedented reshuffling of the coaching deck, a testament to the perpetual demand for immediate success in Italy. While some familiar faces have returned to old stomping grounds, others are embarking on entirely new, and at times, rather audacious, chapters. This widespread change hints at a league dynamic that will be anything but stable.

• Antonio Conte has, against all odds, decided to continue his reign at Napoli, a rare beacon of continuity amidst the upheaval.
• Igor Tudor was confirmed at Juventus, signaling a continued commitment to a manager who stepped in mid-season.
• Vincenzo Italiano extended his stay at Bologna, a club still basking in the glow of their Coppa Italia triumph.
• Cristian Chivu takes the reins at Inter, a surprising move given his limited Serie A experience.
• The end of an era at Atalanta sees Ivan Juric step into the formidable shoes left by Gian Piero Gasperini.
• A triple dose of managerial nostalgia: Massimiliano Allegri returns to AC Milan, Maurizio Sarri is back at Lazio, and Stefano Pioli makes his comeback at Fiorentina.

This dizzying array of changes isn`t merely cosmetic; each appointment carries profound implications for team philosophies, transfer strategies, and ultimately, the fight for supremacy.

The Title Race: Familiar Aspirations, Unfamiliar Paths

Napoli: The Reign Continues?

After clinching the 2024-25 Scudetto in a nail-biting finish, Napoli enters the new season as the clear frontrunners. The biggest factor? The continued presence of Antonio Conte. His decision to stay, coupled with shrewd summer signings like midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne (a free agent coup of monumental proportions), alongside Noa Lang, Sam Beukema, Lorenzo Lucca, and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, has fortified an already formidable squad. While their rivals are grappling with new systems and personnel, Napoli benefits from continuity and enhanced firepower. It`s almost unfair, some might say.

Inter: Chivu`s Baptism of Fire

The Nerazzurri concluded last season on a sour note, failing to secure silverware and suffering a crushing 5-0 defeat in the Champions League final. Enter Cristian Chivu, a club legend as a player, but a relative novice in the Serie A dugout. His 13 games with Parma, saving them from relegation, offer a mere glimpse of his capabilities. While Inter`s roster remains undeniably strong, the question mark over Chivu`s big-game experience looms large. Will he be the tactical genius Inter needs, or will this be a season of uncomfortable learning curves?

AC Milan: Allegri`s Rossoneri Renaissance

The return of Massimiliano Allegri, a Scudetto winner with Milan in 2010-11, signals a clear intent to reclaim past glories. However, unlike Napoli`s stable situation, Milan is in a significant rebuilding phase, having notably parted ways with key players like Tijjani Reijnders (to Manchester City, no less) and Theo Hernandez. Allegri`s pragmatic style and proven track record offer a strong foundation, but the speed at which he can integrate new talent and re-establish a winning mentality will dictate their Champions League qualification hopes, and perhaps a long-shot tilt at the title.

European Contenders: A Crowded and Competitive Field

Juventus: Tudor`s New Cycle

Juventus has chosen continuity with Igor Tudor after his late-season appointment. With former sport director Cristiano Giuntoli also departing, this marks the dawn of a new era for the Bianconeri. They remain a strong contender for a Champions League spot, provided they navigate the remainder of the transfer window effectively. Stability, or at least a new kind of stability, might just be their greatest asset.

AS Roma: Gasperini`s Roman Holiday?

Perhaps the most intriguing managerial move of the summer: Gian Piero Gasperini leaves Atalanta after nine illustrious years, including a Europa League triumph, to lead AS Roma. After a disappointing season rescued by Claudio Ranieri (now an advisor, naturally), Roma has high hopes for Gasperini`s aggressive, attacking brand of football. Can he replicate his Bergamasque magic in the Eternal City, or will the weight of expectation prove too heavy?

Como: The $100 Million “Surprise”

Calling Como a “surprise” might be the understatement of the season. Having invested over $100 million this summer to bolster their squad, with Cesc Fabregas at the helm, their ambition is anything but modest. The club famously rebuffed Inter`s advances for Fabregas, a clear statement of intent. Now, it`s up to the Spanish legend to prove that money, combined with astute management, truly can buy European qualification in Serie A. It would certainly be a story.

The Rest of the European Hopefuls

• Fiorentina: With Stefano Pioli back after a brief stint in Saudi Arabia and key player Moise Kean retained, expectations are high for them to improve on their sixth-place finish.
• Bologna: Fresh off a Champions League qualification two years prior and a Coppa Italia win last season, Bologna, under Vincenzo Italiano, is aiming for further international impact with seasoned additions like Ciro Immobile and Federico Bernardeschi.
• Atalanta: The post-Gasperini era begins with Ivan Juric, a former Gasperini protégé. While a sensible choice for continuity in style, Juric`s prior struggles at Roma and Southampton make this a considerable gamble.
• Lazio: Despite the return of coaching maestro Maurizio Sarri, Lazio`s European ambitions are significantly hampered by persistent financial constraints limiting transfer activity. Sarri`s genius might be tested to its absolute limits.

In the Middle: The Comfortable Bloc

Some teams typically find themselves immune to the intense pressures of both the European race and the relegation dogfight. Torino, under new manager Marco Baroni, Udinese (despite losing Lucca), and Genoa, with Patrick Vieira continuing his tenure, are expected to navigate the season without significant worries. They represent the quiet consistency, far from the dramatic headlines but vital to the league`s fabric.

The Fight to Avoid Relegation: A Perilous Journey

At the other end of the spectrum, the battle for Serie A survival promises to be as brutal as ever, with a mix of newly promoted sides and perennial strugglers vying to stay afloat.

• Parma: Their bold appointment of 29-year-old Carlos Cuesta, former Arsenal assistant, as the youngest manager in Serie A history, is either a stroke of genius or a recipe for disaster. Time will tell.
• Cagliari: Promoting U19 manager Fabio Pisacane is another gamble on internal talent, reflecting their strategy of enduring in the top flight despite limited resources.
• Sassuolo: Back after just one season in Serie B, their financial stability and proven track record of consistency suggest they have the resilience to stay up.
• Hellas Verona: Acquired by an American fund, their new ownership provides a glimmer of hope for stability after years of financial struggles.
• Cremonese: Despite bringing in relegation specialist Davide Nicola, the squad appears to need significant reinforcements to truly compete.
• Lecce: A new coach in Eusebio Di Francesco and the potential departure of key players could make their survival bid exceedingly difficult this season.
• Pisa: Returning to Serie A after over three decades, Pisa faces a monumental task. Without experienced Serie A additions, their return might be fleeting.