Sampdoria has officially appointed former player Alberico Evani as their new head coach, with Attilio Lombardo taking on the role of assistant coach. Roberto Mancini, however, will only serve as an unofficial ‘consultant’ while keeping his options open for other potential coaching positions.

The Italian club, currently facing the risk of relegation to Serie C, has made these changes in an effort to salvage their season. The appointment comes after the dismissal of coach Leonardo Semplici and his staff, as well as technical director Pietro Accardi and his assistant Giuseppe Colucci.

Evani’s coaching staff will also include Angelo Gregucci and Paolo Bertelli, with their first training session scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Mancini’s Unique Arrangement

Despite earlier reports suggesting Mancini would become the new technical director, the club’s official announcement did not mention his involvement. Sources indicate that Mancini prefers to maintain flexibility for potential coaching opportunities elsewhere, and thus will work with Sampdoria in an advisory capacity without being bound by a formal contract.

The return of Mancini, Evani, and Lombardo to Sampdoria was a vision shared by the late Gianluca Vialli, who had previously attempted to lead a group in purchasing the club before his untimely passing in January 2023.

This new leadership structure aims to bring stability and experience to Sampdoria as they fight to maintain their position in Italian football’s higher divisions.