Emiliano Bigica will last only one game on the Sassuolo bench, as the brass opted to hire a more seasoned coach to right the ship, Davide Ballardini. The former midfielder had been elevated from the Primavera team following the ousting of Alessio Dionisi, also due to lack of time. The management searched for an alternative with more determination following the 1-6 romp against Napoli.
According to Alfredo Pedullà, the new gaffer signed only a four-month contract. He didn’t pound the table to get an option. He was tied to Cremonese until 2025. However, he’ll have a rich salary and a hefty bonus should they avoid relegation.
Sassuolo tested the waters for other skippers but eventually accepted the demands by Ballardini. He’s no stranger to taking over midseason. He couldn’t do the trick with the Grigiorossi last year despite helming them for 20 games. He was fired after five rounds in Serie B. Instead, he successfully rescued Genoa multiple times, Cagliari, and Palermo in the past.
According to Goal, the Neroverdi couldn’t come to terms with Fabio Grosso or persuade Gennaro Gattuso. Their fallback option was Leonardo Semplici.
Our Take on Sassuolo and Ballardini
Their issues go beyond not having Domenico Berardi at their disposal, and he’ll be back soon, so they needed an experienced guide. He’s been there before, and, compared to other specialists, he leans on a decently proactive brand of football, which is in the team’s DNA.
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