US Cremonese have made a managerial change, sacking Marco Giampaolo after a poor start to the Serie B season. The grey-red club has already identified his replacement, with Fabio Pecchia the frontrunner to return to the dugout. La Gazzetta dello Sport first reported the news.
The team, currently bottom of the table with 0 points, 0 goals scored and 4 conceded after two matches, decided to act quickly. The new coach is set to make his debut on 6 September at 19:30, at home against Padova. The club's stated goal remains an immediate return to Serie A.
Why was Giampaolo sacked?
Marco Giampaolo had returned to the Cremonese bench on 18 March, replacing Davide Nicola when the team was 18th in Serie A. He managed to save the team from direct relegation but could not avoid the play-outs and the subsequent drop to Serie B. Despite this, the club had confirmed their faith in him for the second-tier season.
The start of the championship, however, was disastrous. Cremonese lost 1-0 at Empoli and were then thrashed 3-0 at home by Modena. Two defeats, zero goals scored and a shaky defence convinced the management to make an immediate change. "U.S. Cremonese announces that it has relieved Mr. Marco Giampaolo from the technical management of the first team," reads the official statement. The club also thanked the coach "for the professionalism, commitment and dedication shown."
Who is Fabio Pecchia?
The favourite to succeed him is Fabio Pecchia, a name that warms the hearts of the grey-red fans. It was he, in the 2021/22 season, who led the team to promotion to Serie A by winning the Serie B championship. His return would represent a clear attempt to rekindle the spark that led to that success.
Pecchia knows the environment, the club and much of the structure. His experience in the second tier is extensive and his goal would be singular: to bring Cremonese back to the top flight. The team is currently 6 points behind leaders Modena. The new coach will also have to deal with the absence through injury of David Stückler, as seen on our injuries page.
What is the team's current context?
The league situation is worrying. After two matchdays, Cremonese are 20th and the only team with zero points, with a -4 goal difference. The next league commitment, after the Padova match, will be an away game against Hellas Verona, currently 16th, on 19 December. The full schedule is available in our fixtures section.
Despite the bad start in the league, the team had shown positive signs in the Coppa Italia. Under Giampaolo, they eliminated Serie A's Parma at the Tardini 2-0 in the second round, and then also beat Como, reaching the round of 16. That run, however, was not enough to compensate for the league disappointments.
What happens now?
All eyes are on the official arrival of Fabio Pecchia and his first match in charge. The home clash against Padova on 6 September becomes a game of huge importance to turn the tide. The new coach will have little time to impose his ideas, but the club's haste shows a desire not to lose further ground in the race for Serie A.
The management is betting on a man who knows the path to promotion. Pecchia's task will be immediate: lift the morale of a team on zero points and start recovering positions in the table, which you can follow live in our standings section. His debut is set for Saturday evening at the Giovanni Zini stadium.
