Stefano Pioli (foto: Getty Images)
Former AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli has been dismissed by Fiorentina after a disastrous run with no Serie A wins, marking the lowest point of his coaching career.
Stefano Pioli has suffered the most difficult moment of his managerial journey. The former AC Milan coach, who lifted the Scudetto in 2022 and rebuilt Milan into a title contender, has now been dismissed by Fiorentina after the club dropped to the bottom of the Serie A table with zero wins in ten rounds.
Fiorentina owner Rocco Commisso is reportedly furious after the club also announced a €23 million financial loss from last season. The decline has been sharp and dramatic. Following the weekend’s home defeat to Lecce, Fiorentina’s management made an irrevocable decision: Pioli is out.
Daniele Galloppa will take charge of the team on an interim basis while Fiorentina works to identify a new long-term coach.
Pioli’s fall has been surprising, given the high point of his Milan era. Between 2019 and 2024, he transformed the Rossoneri and delivered the club’s first title in over a decade. But his final period at Milan did not end smoothly. He was aligned with the club's board in a conflict that led to the departure of strong figures like Paolo Maldini and Zvonimir Boban—a rift that foreshadowed instability.
After leaving Milan, Pioli attempted a new challenge abroad with Al-Nassr, led by Cristiano Ronaldo. However, his time in Saudi Arabia was short and disappointing, as the club endured one of its weakest seasons among the league’s big teams.
His return to Fiorentina was expected to be a fresh opportunity, but instead turned into an even bigger failure, leaving his coaching reputation in Italy significantly damaged.
For the first time in years, Pioli’s coaching future appears uncertain.