Italiano has tough act to follow after replacing Motta as coach of Champions League debutant Bologna
Fiorentina's head coach Vincenzo Italiano gestures during the Conference League final soccer match between Olympiacos FC and ACF Fiorentina at OPAP Arena in Athens, Greece, Thursday, May 30, 2024. Credit: AP/Petros Giannakouris
BOLOGNA, Italy — Champions League debutant Bologna hired Vincenzo Italiano as its new coach on Wednesday to replace Thiago Motta.
Italiano signed a two-year contract to take over from Motta, who led Bologna to fifth place in Serie A last season and the club's first qualification for the Champions League.
Its only appearance in the old European Cup in 1964-65 ended in a quick exit in the preliminary round.
However, Bologna announced before the end of the season that Motta had decided not to renew his contract, freeing the 41-year-old to potentially take up the vacant position at Juventus.
Italiano left Fiorentina after the final game of the season last week and has been replaced by Raffaele Palladino.
The 46-year-old Italiano spent three seasons at Fiorentina and steered the club to back-to-back Europa Conference League finals, both of which it lost — to West Ham in 2023 and Olympiakos last month.