Beyond Coppa Italia: Why Milan are looking to Italiano as their next coach

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Lorenzo Bettoni | Last updated May 17, 2025 5:58 AM ET

Vincenzo Italiano is being heavily linked with the Milan job for next season, and Gazzetta dello Sport explains why the Rossoneri are looking to the Bologna tactician to replace Sergio Conceiçao in 2025-26.

Bologna coach Italiano is among the candidates to take over at Milan next season.

The 47-year-old accomplished a historic feat for Bologna this week, beating Milan in the Coppa Italia Final and winning the first major trophy for the Rossoblu in 51 years.

Saturday’s printed edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, on page 18, explains why the Rossoneri are seriously considering hiring the Bologna coach to start a new course next season.

Why Milan consider hiring Italiano as their next coach

“The Rossoneri executives appreciated how he prepared and managed the Coppa Italia Final, without conceding a single chance to Milan,” wrote journalist Andrea Ramazzotti.

“He may not have the same experience as Ancelotti and Allegri, but he still knows how to keep the team focused until the end of the season to reach its targets.”

Italiano is under contract with Bologna until June 2026, and the Rossoblu have already begun preliminary talks to extend his stay at the club. According to the report, however, Italiano would be tempted by Milan.

The Bologna boss is not the only candidate for the Milan job as Maurizio Sarri, Massimiliano Allegri and Gian Piero Gasperini remain on the Diavoli’s agenda.

Milan are still expected to hire a new sporting director for next season, but club executives have already decided to get a coach with a deep knowledge of Serie A for the next campaign.

The club also plans to build a strong Italian core of players in 2025-26, looking to Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa and Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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