Alessandro Barcherini has reflected on Sunderland’s remarkable Premier League campaign under Régis Le Bris
Sunderland assistant head coach Alessandro Barcherini has delivered an emotional message after the Black Cats secured Europa League qualification at the end of a remarkable Premier League campaign.
Barcherini has been part of Régis Le Bris’ coaching staff during a season in which Sunderland have defied outside expectations, secured a top-seven finish and brought European football back to the Stadium of Light for the first time in 52 years.
The Italian coach arrived on Wearside in 2022 following a three-year spell at Leeds United, where he was part of Marcelo Bielsa’s backroom team as the club won promotion to the Premier League in 2020. He also remained at Elland Road under Jesse Marsch, working across both senior and academy levels.
During his time at Leeds, Barcherini served as first-team assistant goalkeeping coach and head of academy goalkeeping, working closely with players at different stages of their development. His route into coaching also included time at Notts County as a player and Nottingham Forest as a performance analyst, before he moved into several roles at Nottingham Trent University, including head of football.
Barcherini later returned to Notts County in 2015 as head of academy goalkeeping before joining Stoke City as lead academy goalkeeping coach in August 2018. That varied background in analysis, coaching and player development has formed part of Sunderland’s wider football operation during their rise under Le Bris.
Barcherini has been highly regarded around the Academy of Light and has played his part in a coaching staff that has helped Sunderland handle the step up to the Premier League in outstanding fashion. Reflecting on the season in a post on social media, Barcherini wrote: “Hard to put into words what we as a group have achieved this season at Sunderland AFC.
“So many out there gave us no chance of survival in the Premier League. For 47 weeks, we’ve been all-in. The players, the staff and all of the fans. Together. We’ve been tested, we’ve had bad days, we’ve faced all the adversity a season can throw at you internally and externally.
“We’ve had incredible moments like Sunday, the late goals, and the derby wins, it’s been some journey! But in the end, our greatest strength was our ability to suffer and embrace it. This group is special. We are all so happy that we can bring UEFA Europa League football to the Stadium of Light for the first time in 52 years. You, the fans, deserve it.”
Le Bris said Sunderland’s Europa League qualification proves “anything is possible” in football after the Black Cats completed one of the most remarkable seasons in the club’s modern history. Exactly one year on from their dramatic play-off final win over Sheffield United at Wembley, Sunderland secured a seventh-placed Premier League finish with a 2-1 victory over Club World Cup champions Chelsea at the Stadium of Light.
“It's an important step, and it shows that anything is possible in football, especially when you are working hard, representing the community and humble,” Le Bris said. “We struggled at times this season, had a really painful defeat here at home [against Nottingham Forest] and bounced back, worked hard and finally here's the result. We feel the dynamic of the club. We are growing fast, but the structure underneath is strong. We can't say it's perfect, but we feel we are improving a lot. I repeat, we have to stay humble.”
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