Fabio Grosso resigned as Sassuolo head coach last Friday and has been appointed the new manager of fellow Serie A side Fiorentina.
The 48-year-old had been in charge since July 2024, when Sassuolo were still in Serie B. In his first season, the 2006 World Cup winner – famous for scoring Italy’s decisive penalty in the final shootout victory over France – guided the club back to Serie A.
UK ONLY
Sassuolo went on to finish 11th in the top flight this season. The club have now officially appointed former Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani as their new manager.
Aquilani enjoyed a high-profile playing career with clubs including Roma, Liverpool, Juventus and AC Milan, and briefly featured for Sassuolo in 2017 during a loan spell, making 16 appearances.
He began his coaching career in 2019 with Fiorentina’s Under-18 side before stepping up to work with the first-team staff.
In 2020, he took charge of Fiorentina Primavera, where he enjoyed significant success, winning multiple Coppa Italia Primavera and Supercoppa titles.
Aquilani later managed Pisa in Serie B, finishing 13th in the 2023–24 season, before a spell at Catanzaro, where he guided the club to a fifth-place finish and a play-off final appearance.
Veronica Squinzi, Chief Executive Officer of Mapei and Vice President of Sassuolo Calcio, said:“I’m very pleased with this choice. It actually is a warm welcome back, since Aquilani wore neroverde in 2017.
“Since then we both have grown and I think that, together, we can write new and exiting chapters in the history of our club. ”
Aquilani made 28 appearances for Liverpool between 2009 and 2012 following his move from Roma. The Italy international was signed by Rafael Benítez in August 2009, arriving at Anfield shortly after Xabi Alonso’s departure to Real Madrid.
Aquilani made his debut as a substitute in a League Cup fourth-round tie against Arsenal on October 28, 2009. He scored twice during his debut campaign, but his Liverpool career never fully established momentum. Aquilani later spent loan spells at Juventus and AC Milan before making a permanent move to Fiorentina.
Alberto Aquilani è il nostro nuovo allenatore 🖤💚
Bentornato mister!
Il comunicato https://t.co/eEOTIH9c3p ✍️#ForzaSasol pic.twitter.com/y8LyxIx0WM
— U.S. Sassuolo (@SassuoloUS) June 12, 2026