Al Nassr Football Club has parted ways with its Italian head coach, Stefano Pioli, less than a season after his appointment. The decision comes after the team finished third in the Saudi Pro League.
In an official statement on social media, the Riyadh-based club announced: “Al Nassr Club officially announces the termination of its contractual relationship with first team coach Mr. Stefano Pioli.”
Pioli, who led AC Milan to the Serie A title in 2022, was appointed by Al Nassr last September on a three-year deal, replacing Portuguese coach Luís Castro, who was dismissed following a poor start to the previous season.
Despite high expectations, Pioli failed to secure a top-two finish or qualify for the elite AFC Champions League, and the team did not win any trophies during his tenure. Al Nassr ended the season 13 points behind league champions Al Ittihad and five points behind rivals Al Hilal, who finished second. Veteran Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was the league’s top scorer with 25 goals.
Pioli is the third Italian to manage Al Nassr, following Walter Zenga (2010-2011) and World Cup-winning defender Fabio Cannavaro (2015-2016).
According to media reports, the 59-year-old Pioli is now close to taking over at Fiorentina—a club he represented as a player from 1989 to 1995 and managed between 2017 and 2019.
Pioli began his coaching career in 1999 with the youth teams of Bologna and Chievo, before taking charge of Salernitana. Over the years, he has managed several Italian clubs, including Parma, Sassuolo, Chievo, Bologna, Lazio, Inter Milan, Fiorentina, and AC Milan. His stint with Al Nassr was his first coaching experience outside Italy.
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