--- title: Vincenzo Italiano slug: vincenzo-italiano-e8d43 url: /detay/vincenzo-italiano-e8d43 type: biography language: English entity: primary: Vincenzo Italiano type: biography categories: - name: Sport slug: spor url: /kategori/spor tags: - TechnicalDirector - vincenzo - italian - Beşiktaş author: Burak Enes created_at: 2026-06-05T14:00:30.809417+03:00 updated_at: 2026-06-05T14:00:30.809428+03:00 image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/06/05/iDcjWo8oL9beHvu8bdG3xSbdqHYJm9Xb.jpg --- # Vincenzo Italiano > Vincenzo Italiano is a former Italian midfielder and manager who led Spezia to their first-ever Serie A promotion and took Fiorentina to two European finals. ## KURE Information Cards ![AA-30591004.jpg](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/06/05/sBHZRvlu8cn0xxsuF1KK9h5AGJARcG7B.jpg) *Vincenzo Italiano (AA)* | Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Çocuk | Christian,Riccardo | | Doğum tarihi | 1977-12-10 | | Eş | Raffaella | | Height(s) | 1.75 m | | Place of Birth | Karlsruhe, Germany | | Nationality | Italy | | Managerial Career | Bologna FC 1909,ACF Fiorentina,Spezia Calcio,Trapani,Arzignano Valchiampo,Vigontina San Paolo,Unione Venezia (assistant coach) | | Position (Football) | Midfielder | | Profession(s) | Football coach,former football player | ## Article Content Vincenzo Italiano, born on 10 December 1977 in Karlsruhe, Germany, is an Italian-born football coach and former professional footballer. Born to a family of Sicilian origin in Germany, he spent most of his life in Italy after his family returned there. He played as a professional midfielder for nearly twenty years, retiring from active play in 2014 to embark on a coaching career. He has managed clubs including Vigontina, Arzignano Valchiampo, Trapani, Spezia Calcio, ACF Fiorentina and Bologna FC 1909; he holds a UEFA Pro License and favors a 4-2-3-1 tactical system. ### Life and Personal Life Vincenzo Italiano was born in Karlsruhe to Italian parents who had migrated to Germany for work. After the family returned to Italy, they settled in the district of Ribera, within the province of Agrigento. Italiano spent his childhood and adolescence in this Sicilian town, where he began playing football. At the age of 15, he left Sicily to pursue a professional football career on the Italian mainland. Public information about his private life is limited; it is known that he is married to Raffaella. In 2013, Raffaella publicly addressed the football betting scandal allegations against her husband, stating that he had been fully exonerated and describing the ordeal as a nightmare. The couple has two sons: Christian, born in 2002, and Riccardo, born in 2007. Their eldest son Christian studied at the University of Sports Science. Their younger son Riccardo aspires to a football career and has played for Fiorentina’s youth academy. The family continues to reside in Padova, in the Veneto region. Italiano has frequently expressed his deep attachment to Sicily and especially to the sea. During his stints at Trapani and La Spezia, he stated that during difficult moments in the season, he would go to the sea to gather his thoughts. His profound passion for football is also evident in his public statements: Italiano has said he has no other passion besides football and spends 18 hours of each day thinking about the game. ### Playing Career #### Youth Years and Early Career Vincenzo Italiano began his football journey in the youth academy of Ribera. After his youth development, he moved to Partinico Audace, where he took his first steps in professional football in Serie D. He later transferred to Trapani, joining their Serie C1 squad; however, over two seasons he made only seven appearances. #### Hellas Verona Era (1996–2007) In 1996, Italiano was signed by Hellas Verona, then competing in Serie A. His time at Verona became the longest and most defining phase of his playing career. Over many years as a midfielder, particularly in the libero or playmaker role, he became one of the club’s most indispensable players. He made his Serie A debut on 2 February 1997 in the Bologna-Verona match, in which the home side Bologna won 6-1. Italiano, then 19 years old, was introduced by Verona’s head coach Gigi Cagni in the second half, marking his top-flight debut. He made a total of 260 appearances for Verona, placing him sixth on the club’s all-time appearance list. In 1999, he played a decisive role in Verona’s promotion from Serie B back to Serie A. His career at Verona lasted until January 2007; during this period, he was also loaned to Genoa for six months. #### Chievo, Padova and Career End (2007–2014) In January 2007, Italiano moved to rival club Chievo, continuing his Serie A career there. He scored six goals for Chievo and played a key role in their promotion to Serie A; he then helped the team maintain its top-flight status in 2009. After remaining with Chievo until 2009, he transferred to Padova, where he played for three seasons. In the final years of his career, he also wore the jersey of Perugia, completing his professional playing career with Lumezzane in the 2013–2014 season, retiring from active football in 2014. Throughout his playing career, Italiano was recognized as a technically gifted and visionary midfielder, often described as a “provincial conductor.” He stood out not through physical strength but through technical skill, ball control and tactical awareness. His high success rate from penalty kicks was also a notable trait. Standing at 1.75 meters, Italiano once remarked that while he was not particularly tall, he had been endowed with other unique abilities. ### Coaching Career #### Unione Venezia – Assistant Coach (2014) After retiring from playing, Italiano began his coaching career in 2014 as an assistant coach at Unione Venezia. His tenure began on 8 August 2014 and ended on 19 October 2014. During this period, Alessandro Dal Canto served as head coach, while Italiano fulfilled his assistant role across 11 matches. #### Vigontina San Paolo (2015–2017) Following his assistant coaching role in Venice, Italiano became head coach of Vigontina San Paolo, a Serie D team based in Padova. He joined the staff as a youth coach in the 2015–2016 season and was promoted to head coach for the 2016–2017 season. His tenure occurred in two separate stints: the first from 1 July 2016 to 3 January 2017 (17 matches), and the second from 28 February 2017 to 30 June 2017 (9 matches). He experienced a challenging season marked by resignation, return to duty, and ultimately relegation. #### Arzignano Valchiampo (2017–2018) In the 2017–2018 season, Italiano served as head coach of another Padova-based Serie D club, Arzignano Valchiampo, delivering an impressive performance. He led the team to third place in the league and secured promotion to Serie C. #### Trapani (2018–2019) In July 2018, Italiano signed with Trapani Calcio in Sicily, marking his first opportunity to coach at the upper tier of Italian football. In the 2018–2019 season, he guided Trapani to second place in Serie C Group C, behind Juve Stabia. In the promotion play-off final, after a dramatic two-leg tie, he eliminated Piacenza, securing a historic promotion. This was Trapani’s first return to Serie B in years. Italiano achieved an average of 1.96 points per match over 47 games in this role. #### Spezia Calcio (2019–2021) In July 2019, Italiano agreed terms with Spezia Calcio, achieving his most significant early-career successes here. In the 2019–2020 season, Spezia finished third in the league, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After defeating Frosinone in two final matches, Spezia earned promotion to Serie A for the first time in its 100-year history. His second season with Spezia, 2020–2021, saw the team successfully maintain its Serie A status against stronger opponents. Italiano’s side gained attention by defeating Napoli 1–0 in the final match of the season, a result that prompted Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis to visit the dressing room to congratulate him. Although Italiano had signed a renewed two-year contract with Spezia, he terminated it in the same summer to accept an offer from Fiorentina. During his tenure at Spezia, he accumulated an average of 1.37 points per match over 86 games. #### ACF Fiorentina (2021–2024) ##### First Season and Return to Europe (2021–2022) Following Gennaro Gattuso’s departure, Fiorentina signed Italiano on 1 July 2021. In his first season, 2021–2022, he led the team to seventh place in Serie A, securing qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League. His contract was subsequently renewed and his annual salary increased to 1.7 million euros. This achievement marked a significant turning point, as it returned La Viola to European competition after several years of absence. ![Image](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/06/05/RF3iuo3GrTSWLUbfZ7UeprwV7dGIYonc.jpg) *Vincenzo Italiano Fiorentina era (AA)* ##### UEFA Europa Conference League Final (2022–2023) In the 2022–2023 season, Fiorentina reached the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League under Italiano’s leadership, marking the club’s first European final since 1990. In the final, Fiorentina lost to West Ham United due to a goal by Jarrod Bowen. In the same season, they were defeated 2–1 by Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia final, with Giacomo Bonaventura scoring Fiorentina’s only goal. Due to Juventus receiving a European competition ban, Fiorentina earned Italy’s remaining European qualification spot. ##### Second UEFA Europa Conference League Final (2023–2024) In the 2023–2024 season, Fiorentina repeated their previous year’s success by reaching the UEFA Europa Conference League final once again. This made Italiano the first head coach in Fiorentina’s history to lead the club to two consecutive European finals. Key players during the season included Giacomo Bonaventura, Nico González and Lucas Beltrán; Beltrán played a decisive role in reaching the final by scoring a crucial goal against Club Brugge in Athens. The season was also marked by the sudden and unexpected death of sporting director Joe Barone, which deeply affected the club and squad. Italiano announced his departure from Fiorentina after finishing the league in eighth place. His total tenure at Fiorentina encompassed 162 matches and an average of 1.67 points per match. #### Bologna FC 1909 (2024–2026) ##### First Season and UEFA Champions League (2024–2025) On 5 June 2024, Italiano signed with Bologna FC 1909, assuming the role of head coach. Bologna welcomed him with a squad that had qualified for the UEFA Champions League under previous manager Thiago Motta. In his first season, Italiano led the team through the dual demands of Serie A and the Champions League. The season culminated with a Coppa Italia final appearance. ![Image](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/06/05/z0buaYcQviUzLFk3IBZiQoiMqFbcCCWu.jpg) *Vincenzo Italiano Bologna era (AA)* ##### Coppa Italia Victory and Nettuno d’Oro Honor (May 2025) In the 2024–2025 season, Bologna reached the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa final. Prior to the match, Italian President Sergio Mattarella received both finalists at the Quirinal Palace; present at the ceremony were the head coaches Sergio Conceição and Vincenzo Italiano, CONI President Giovanni Malagò, Serie A Chairman Ezio Maria Simonelli, and FIGC President Gabriele Gravina. At the reception held in the President’s presence, Italiano spoke on behalf of Bologna. Bologna defeated Milan in the Coppa Italia final, winning the trophy and ending a 51-year drought for the club. Following this triumph, Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore awarded Italiano the Nettuno d’Oro, the city’s most prestigious honor. The award ceremony was held unusually not at Palazzo d’Accursio but at Bologna’s technical center, the Galli Facilities in Casteldebole. Italiano expressed great joy at receiving an honor previously held by Nobel laureates, artists and poets. He emphasized that the achievement belonged not to him alone but to all stakeholders involved in the journey. He also received the Bulgarelli Award for celebrating the Coppa Italia victory alongside 30,000 Bolognese fans. ##### Second Season and Departure (2025–2026) In the 2025–2026 season, Italiano led Bologna to 16 wins, 8 draws and 14 losses in 38 Serie A matches (56 points, 1.47 points per match). In the UEFA Europa League, the team recorded 7 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses in 14 matches (1.79 points per match). Across all 56 official matches of the season, Bologna achieved 25 wins, 12 draws and 19 losses (1.55 points per match). According to a report by Yahoo Sports, Bologna was in third place in the league table at the mid-season break, just one point behind Inter and Napoli. Italiano’s tenure at Bologna ended on 28 May 2026, covering two seasons and 107 matches with an average of 1.59 points per match. #### Agreement with Beşiktaş (June 2026) Following Seren Yalçın’s resignation, Beşiktaş management began searching for a new head coach and, according to news reports on 5 June 2026, reached an agreement with Vincenzo Italiano. It was announced that Beşiktaş president Serdal Adalı and Italiano would arrive together in Istanbul on that day around 3:00 PM. Reports suggest that a two-year contract with an annual salary of six million euros was offered. Meetings are planned to continue in Istanbul, focusing on technical planning, squad structure and objectives for the upcoming season.[^1] ### Philosophy and Tactical Approach Throughout his coaching career, Vincenzo Italiano has maintained a consistent and distinctive tactical philosophy. His preferred formation is 4-2-3-1, though he also adapts to 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 systems based on tactical requirements. The core elements of Italiano’s approach include high pressing and rapid ball circulation between lines; a possession-based style that emphasizes verticality; effective use of wingers and full-backs in attack; a dynamic defensive structure in which center-backs participate in midfield play; and variable wing play where one full-back advances while the other maintains symmetry. This philosophy has remained unchanged since his early days in Serie D through to the highest levels of the game. Italiano prioritizes principles over rigid formations. He embodies Sarri’s ball-oriented football philosophy but enriches it with different forms of numerical superiority. During his time at Fiorentina, players such as Cristiano Biraghi, Lucas Martínez Quarta and Maxime Lopez exemplified the implementation of this system through their specialized roles. ### Coaching Career Summary The table below summarizes Italiano’s coaching appointments based on data from Transfermarkt:[^2]: | CLUB/ROLE | START DATE | END DATE | MATCHES | AVG. POINTS | | Unione Venezia (Assistant) | August 2014 | October 2014 | - | - | | Vigontina San Paolo | July 2015 | June 2017 | 26 | 0.88 | | Arzignano Valchiampo | July 2017 | June 2018 | 38 | 2.00 | | Trapani | July 2018 | June 2019 | 47 | 1.96 | | Spezia Calcio | July 2019 | June 2021 | 86 | 1.37 | | ACF Fiorentina | July 2021 | June 2024 | 162 | 1.67 | | Bologna FC 1909 | June 2024 | May 2026 | 107 | 1.59 | ## Academic Sources and References 1. 1000 Cuori Rossoblu. "La storia di Italiano: una vita intera dedicata al pallone." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.1000cuorirossoblu.it/bologna/la-storia-di-italiano-una-vita-intera-dedicata-al-pallone-il-resto-del-carlino/ 2. Breaking The Lines. "L’Orgoglio Del Fiore: How Fiorentina Blossomed under Vincenzo Italiano." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://breakingthelines.com/serie-a-analysis/lorgoglio-del-fiore-how-fiorentina-blossomed-under-vincenzo-italiano/ 3. CalcioMercato.it. "Vincenzo Italiano, chi è l’allenatore della Fiorentina? Età, squadre allenate, stipendio, figli e moglie." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.calciomercato.it/2023/05/19/vincenzo-italiano-chi-e-lallenatore-della-fiorentina-eta-squadre-allenate-stipendio-figli-e-moglie/ 4. Corriere di Bologna. "Italiano riceve il Nettuno d'oro dal sindaco di Bologna: «Un onore, lo hanno premi Nobel, sul contratto non dico nulla»." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://corrieredibologna.corriere.it/notizie/sport/25\_maggio\_23/italiano-riceve-il-nettuno-d-oro-dal-sindaco-di-bologna-un-onore-lo-hanno-dato-ai-premi-nobel-sul-contratto-non-dico-nulla-56095fe8-2b78-4ad7-b971-8c7d647ddxlk.shtml 5. Famous Birthdays. "Vincenzo Italiano Soccer Coach." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/vincenzo-italiano.html 6. GZT. "Beşiktaş yeni hocasıyla anlaştı: Vincenzo Italiano'nun İstanbul'a geliş saati belli oldu." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.gzt.com/spor/besiktasin-yeni-hocasi-kim-oldu-vincenzo-italiano-kimdir-4229544 7. Il Fatto Quotidiano. "Napoli al bivio: Allegri o Italiano. Così diversi, perché a De Laurentiis piacciono entrambi. E poi c’è l’effetto sorpresa…" Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/05/26/napoli-allenatore-allegri-italiano-de-laurentiis-sorpresa/8399444/ 8. Quirinale. "Al Quirinale le squadre finaliste della Coppa Italia Frecciarossa." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.quirinale.it/it/notizie/quirinale-squadre-finaliste-coppa-italia-frecciarossa 9. Transfermarkt. "Vincenzo Italiano - Manager profile." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.transfermarkt.com/vincenzo-italiano/profil/trainer/47288 10. William Hill News. "Dal campo alla panchina: la carriera di Vincenzo Italiano." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://williamhillnews.it/calcio/serie-a/vincenzo-italiano/ 11. Yahoo Sports. "Why Bologna manager Vincenzo Italiano deserves more credit than he gets." Accessed June 5, 2026. https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/why-bologna-manager-vincenzo-italiano-085100999.html ## Citations [^1]: Fanatik. "Beşiktaş'ta teknik direktör operasyonu tamamlandı! Vincenzo Italiano İstanbul'a geliyor" Erişim tarihi: 5 Haziran 2026. https://www.fanatik.com.tr/besiktas/voleybol/son-dakika-vincenzo-italiano-istanbula-geliyor-2625985 [^2]: Transfermarkt. "Vincenzo Italiano" Erişim tarihi: 5 Haziran 2026. https://www.transfermarkt.com/vincenzo-italiano/profil/trainer/47288