Alberto Aquilani’s return to Serie A has stared with a bang.
The former Fiorentina, Roma and Milan midfielder is back in the Italian top flight as a coach.
Having had an impressive career below Serie A, he’s been hired by Sassuolo, a team well known for giving a chance to the next star Italian coaches.
And it looks like Aquilani could be one of them, even if his first friendly was perhaps a little silly.
Playing against seventh tier Alta Anaunia, Sassuolo won an incredible 22-1.
Aquilani’s fine start as a coach
But in a wider context, Aquilani is certainly rated, particularly from his last job at Catanzaro.
He took over the Serie B side in a relegation battle and despite starting poorly, almost took them to the top flight for the first time since 1983.
In fact, he couldn’t have possibly been any closer, with Catanzaro losing their play-off final against Monza due to a unique rule.
They came back from 2-0 down to finish 2-2, but in the event of a draw in the play-offs, the team who finished higher in the table progresses.
The showing made him hot property, and he explained why he chose Sassuolo over other options.
Aquilani explains Sassuolo choice amid stiff competition
“It’s a natural choice,” he said, having played for the side for six months.
“I’ve had the opportunity to speak with other clubs, and I feel close to Sassuolo and the Squinzi family in terms of thinking. When you believe in certain things, the work can be easier.
“In my first experience at this training centre, and even though it wasn’t a cutting-edge training centre, we worked well because there were always people who allowed you to. Now there’s a top-level training centre.”
Reflecting on his Catanzaro heartbreak, he added: “It will stay with me forever.
“It wasn’t just a match, it was a combination of many emotions. It was a wonderful journey.
“I imagine many people only look at the final result, that match, but it took so much to get to playing that match, a journey also made up of human aspects, which I carry with me.
“I wanted to give a dream to a people who deserve something more. For them, a dream had eluded them, to play in Serie A, and my thoughts were with them.
“That remains there, and what is beginning now is a new chapter.
“I bring enthusiasm, desire. The ambition to coach in Serie A has been with me since I was little. For me today it is a source of pride.”
Aquilani’s coaching style
Regarding what he will bring, Aquilani added: “I have ideas to propose, but I don’t have my own style of football.
“I have clear ideas that I would like to pass on to everyone at the club, to the team, to the fans.
“Football today is evolving, it moves forward, it needs to make you curious on a daily basis, and this is linked to a cohesive group that is created in a strong way, because if you share the idea, you can achieve better results.
“This team is used to playing with 4, I don’t come in and say I want to play with 3, the playing principles are certainly clear and we will decide based on what happens.”
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