Grosso Lost Faith in €150m Squad Before Fiorentina Axed Him
ACF Fiorentina sporting director Fabio Paratici addressed the rapid coaching change at the club during comments made prior to their Serie A fixture against Venezia. The decision made Fiorentina the first club in Serie A to alter their technical staff during the 2026-27 campaign.
The hierarchy opted to dismiss head coach Fabio Grosso following three consecutive losses to open the league season, a run that left the squad at the bottom of the table with zero points and a -8 goal difference. The split occurred despite the club committing over €150m across 13 new player signings during the summer transfer window.
Fabio Grosso
coachParatici Details Lack of Alignment Behind Grosso Sacking
When questioned ahead of kick-off regarding the breakdown in working relations with Grosso after just three league fixtures, Paratici highlighted a fundamental difference in prospective outlook following internal discussions.
“The decision [to sack Grosso] came about after a discussion with the coach where he did not show any confidence in the team or in the project. We decided that we should not persist with this coach and decided to go in a different direction,”
The executive emphasized that structural alignment takes precedence over public perception when evaluating bench leadership. After a significant overhaul of the playing staff, maintaining belief in the roster’s collective capability was deemed essential by the leadership group.
Fiorentina
club“As far as we are concerned, we will always make decisions that bring whatever is best for the club at that moment, not whatever the ‘fashionable’ choice is,”
“I’ve always made decisions for the good of the club, and in this case, it was the right thing to do.”
Reappointment of Paolo Vanoli to Anchor Long-Term Project
Addressing the swift return of Paolo Vanoli, who previously left the bench at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign after securing Serie A safety, Paratici explained the rationale behind restoring familiar leadership to the dugout.
“We’re starting again with Paolo because he did a great job last year. We know each other well and have a lot of respect for each other. We have to find our identity tonight.”
Vanoli takes charge of a squad undergoing immediate recalibration under a four-year operational outline established by the executive staff. Paratici reiterated that the strategic path requires navigating mid-season turbulence without departing from underlying long-term planning.
“The project started when I came in in February and last season ended with us picking up 29 points. It’s a project that will last for another four years and there will be potholes on the road ahead, and we have to take them on without any short-cuts. We’re convinced by what we’re doing.”
The decision to restore Vanoli represents a direct pivot from the technical vision established under Grosso during pre-season. Despite signing 13 new players to fit a revised system over the summer, the club chose to return to the management structure that secured 29 points in the final stretch of the previous term.
The interview was broadcast on DAZN.