Liam Duckstein
Fiorentina have officially appointed Stefano Pioli as their new head coach, handing him a three-year contract as he returns for a second stint at the club. The 58-year-old Italian takes over following a brief tenure at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, which he left last month.
This decision comes just weeks after Fiorentina had extended the contract of former manager Raffaele Palladino, only for him to step down unexpectedly three weeks later. Pioli’s return provides stability and familiarity for a club entering a new chapter.
Pioli is no stranger to the Viola faithful. He wore the Fiorentina shirt from 1989 to 1995 as a player and later guided the team from the dugout between 2017 and 2019. After his previous Fiorentina spell, he notably led AC Milan to a Serie A title in the 2021–22 season before venturing into the Saudi Pro League.
“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.”
Fiorentina finished sixth in the Serie A standings last season, securing a spot in the UEFA Conference League. With Pioli’s return, the club aims to build on that foundation and push further in both domestic and European competitions.
This appointment is part of a broader managerial shake-up across Serie A ahead of the 2025–26 campaign. High-profile clubs including Inter Milan, AC Milan, AS Roma, Atalanta, and Lazio have all opted for changes in the dugout, signalling a new era of tactical rivalries in Italian football.