Hellas Verona’s challenging start to the season has put manager Paolo Zanetti’s future at the club in jeopardy. With just three victories in their opening ten Serie A fixtures and seven defeats, including three consecutive losses, the team’s promising start with a win against Napoli on the opening day seems like a distant memory.
The recent 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Atalanta in Bergamo, followed by a 1-0 defeat in a crucial match against Lecce, has intensified the pressure on Zanetti. The club’s leadership is now evaluating their options and considering potential replacements. There’s a possibility that Zanetti may not be in charge for the upcoming home fixture against Roma on November 3rd.
Calciomercato report that as discussions continue within the Verona camp, several names have emerged as potential successors should Zanetti be dismissed. The list includes experienced managers such as Davide Ballardini, Leonardo Semplici, and Aurelio Andreazzoli. Interestingly, there’s also speculation about a possible return of Gabriele Cioffi, who had a brief stint with Verona at the beginning of the 2022-23 season before being sacked after a few months.
The club’s primary aim is to inject new energy into the team, which currently sits precariously just one point above the relegation zone. The bottom of the table is tightly packed, with Lecce, Parma, and Monza all on 8 points, while Como, Verona, and Cagliari are level on 9 points. Even Roma, traditionally a top-half team, finds itself only two points clear of the danger zone.
Verona’s upcoming fixtures add to the urgency of the situation. The match against Roma, initially seen as a tough challenge against a superior opponent, now unexpectedly resembles a relegation battle. Following this, Verona faces a daunting trip to Florence to play Fiorentina, before hosting title contenders Inter Milan. The subsequent three matches against Cagliari, Empoli, and Parma could prove crucial in their fight for survival.
