Fiorentina have officially dismissed Stefano Pioli, drawing a line under a turbulent start to the season that has left the club bottom of Serie A after ten matches without a win.
The Viola confirmed that Pioli and his staff have been relieved of their duties and that the first team will be coached temporarily by Daniele Galloppa, currently in charge of the Primavera side, beginning with this afternoon’s training session.
The decision follows a breakdown in talks over a severance package. The club pushed for a resignation to avoid paying the remainder of Pioli’s deal, signed this summer through to 2028 and worth about five million euros gross per season. Pioli, who never indicated a willingness to step down, stood firm on a five-million-euro payoff. With relations strained with senior officials, President Rocco Commisso ultimately gave the go-ahead for a dismissal that will require extra budget and accelerate the search for a successor.
On the pitch, the picture has been bleak. Fiorentina sit last with four draws and six defeats from their opening ten league fixtures, scoring seven and conceding sixteen. Continental form offered a brief respite, with four wins across Conference League qualifiers and the group phase, but that was not enough to save Pioli’s position.
Pioli returned to Florence this summer for a second spell, having previously coached the club from 2017 to 2019. He arrived from a stint in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr. The hierarchy is now turning towards a permanent appointment, with Roberto D’Aversa widely expected to take over once final terms are agreed.
For now, Galloppa steps in as caretaker, tasked with stabilising the dressing room and preparing the team for the next fixtures while the board completes its managerial change.
