‘Juve targets fresh start with Lippi and Prandelli’

February 9, 2010

Juventus are planning to completely change the structure of the club.

Tuttosport reports Marcello Lippi will become the new president in October and Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli will take over the reigns from current coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

Juventus has a disastrous season and is already knocked out of the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. They currently lie seventh in Serie A.

Coach Ciro Ferrara was sacked after the poor results and it’s rumoured that club president Jean-Claude Blanc will also leave the club, after the season.

Current coach Zaccheroni only has a contract until the end of the season and several managers have been linked with a move to the Bianconeri.

One of them is current Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli. He has also been inked with a move to the Italy national team after the departure of Marcello Lippi, due by the end of the World Cup 2010 campaign.

Prandelli has been in charge of Fiorentina since 2005. The 52-year-old coach has gained praise for his work with La Viola, despite the lack of trophies.

Fiorentina doesn’t want to lose their manager. Club owner Diego Della Valle said: “If it were to depend on us, he would stay for years.”

However, Tuttosport believes Prandelli is looking for a new challenge after five years in Tuscany. He is also said to have been far from indifferent when approached by Juventus through a third party.

Tags: A. Coach, Alberto Zaccheroni, cesare prandelli, champions league, club owner, club president, coppa italia, diego della valle, fiorentina, fresh start, inked, Italy, Jean-Claude, juventus, marcello lippi, new challenge, new president, trophies, tuscany, tuttosport, viola, world cup 2010

Della Valle steps down as Fiorentina president

September 24, 2009

Serie A giants Fiorentina announced today that Andrea Della Valle has stepped down as president of the club with immediate effect.

Andrea, brother of Fiorentina owner Diego Della Valle, took over the role in 2002, but faced criticism from the Viola fans for the club’s lacklustre transfer activity this summer.

A statement from ACF Fiorentina read: “During today’s board meeting, Andrea Della Valle has announced his decision to leave the presidency of the club and his role will be temporarily covered by club vice-president Mario Cognigni.”

Fiorentina sold Brazilian star Felipe Melo to Juventus this summer, a move which angered their supporters, who were also displeased at them loaning Papa Waigo to Southampton.

The Florence-based outfit acquired midfielder Savio Nsereko as their main signing this summer from West Ham United.

Fiorentina are fourth in the Serie A standings, having collected ten points out of a possible 15 so far.

Abhimanyu Rajput