Stefano Pioli has been named the new head coach of Fiorentina, marking a return to the club on a three-year contract. The 58-year-old replaces Raffaele Palladino, who unexpectedly left the role just three weeks after signing an extension in May.
Pioli arrives after a short stint with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, which he departed last month. His return to Florence comes with deep personal and professional ties.
“I am very happy that Stefano Pioli is the new coach of Fiorentina’s first team,” said club president Rocco Commisso.
“From the very first moment I spoke to him, I found a coach with great human values who is ready to do everything he can for this club and this city, which he knows very well and has a close bond with.”
After leaving Fiorentina in 2019, Pioli enjoyed a successful tenure at AC Milan, where he won the Serie A title in the 2021–22 season.
Fiorentina finished sixth in the league last season, securing a spot in Europe’s third-tier competition. Their appointment of Pioli follows a broader shake-up in Serie A, with managerial changes at several top clubs including Inter Milan, AC Milan, AS Roma, Atalanta and Lazio.
