Alberto Aquilani was presented as head coach by his new club Sassuolo on Friday.

Two Serie B coaches will be in the top flight next season

Two young Italian coaches, who delivered strong performances in Serie B last season, will be coaching in Serie A in the future.

June 12, 2026

From: cst

Alberto Aquilani and Ignazio Abate were officially presented by their new clubs on Friday. Both have performed well at Serie B clubs last season – and, of course, a history as professionals in Italy's top league.

Former AC Milan player Abate is returning to Torino, where he played for half a season over 15 years ago. The 39-year-old will now take over as head coach of the Turin club. Abate, who is currently completing his Pro License course, was at Juve Stabia last season. The young coach led the Campanian side to the playoffs, despite the club's turmoil (including Mafia connections and the possibility of not receiving a license for the upcoming season).

Two years older is Aquilani, who was presented as Sassuolo's new coach on Friday. The Roman led underdog Catanzaro to the playoff final, where they were only defeated by Monza due to a lower league position. Aquilani first made his mark in Fiorentina's youth academy before working at Pisa and Catanzaro in Serie B. It's also a return to Sassuolo for Aquilani, as the 38-time Italian international previously played for the Neroverdi.