Who is Stefano Pioli? The former AC Milan head coach is reportedly set to become the next Al Nassr manager, after the departure of Luis Castro.
Castro was sacked by Al Nassr after failing to deliver a major trophy for the club. Al Nassr finished as runners-up to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League last season, while the same opponents also beat them in the Kings Cup final despite going down to nine men.
Al Hilal also beat Al Nassr in the Super Cup, and from their opening three matches in the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr have only picked up five points, and are already four points off the pace.
With further reports of unrest behind the scenes at the club, it was perhaps not a surprise to see Castro depart. And here we'll look at what he could bring to the Saudi giants.
Who is Stefano Pioli?
Pioli was a highly successful player in his day, winning the European Cup – the equivalent of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) we have today – with Juventus in the 1984/85 season, before winning the Serie A title with the Old Lady in the campaign after. Pioli was a defender by trade, and also played for both Parma and Fiorentina among other clubs in Italy.
He started his managerial career in Bologna's youth set-up, and has managed a whole host of clubs in Italian football, but is best known for his time at AC Milan. Indeed, Pioli won the Scudetto in the 2021/22 term, coming with it the honours of Serie A Coach of the Season and later Coach of the Year.
Pioli brought the Scudetto to the Rossoneri for the first time since 2011, and their points tally of 86 was the most that they had accumulated in Serie A since the 2005/06 campaign. He is known to be tactically flexible with his systems, operating a 4-2-3-1, 3-4-2-1 and 4-3-3 formation in different spells at San Siro.
Other candidates to be the next Al Nassr manager
While Pioli looks set to take on the role, other candidates have also emerged to potentially become the next Al Nassr manager. According to reports in Spain, Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo has recommended his former manager at Real Madrid Zinedine Zidane to take charge.
Zidane is on our list of the top 10 best available managers at the moment, and boasts plenty of pedigree having won three UCL and two La Liga titles during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ronaldo clearly has a lot of influence at Al Nassr as he has also reportedly pushed the club to try and sign Manchester City and Croatia international midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
The Portuguese forward could still get his wish with Zidane, although it looks as if Pioli will be coming through the door. Nonetheless, either manager could prove to be a decent appointment.
