In a bizarre turn of events, Italian football club Piacenza experienced a managerial merry-go-round that saw three different coaches take charge within a single day. La Gazzetta dello Sport report how the Serie D side began by dismissing Carmine Parlato and sporting director Alessio Sestu in the morning, only to end the day by reinstating Stefano Rossini, who had been sacked just over a month ago.
The day’s drama centered around Simone Bentivoglio, whose tenure as Piacenza’s head coach lasted mere hours. Bentivoglio, a former Chievo player, was appointed to replace Parlato but faced immediate backlash from the club’s supporters. The ultras vehemently opposed his appointment due to his past involvement in a 2011 match-fixing scandal during his time at Bari, for which he received a 13-month ban.
Piacenza’s Curva Nord fan group issued a stern warning, threatening to boycott all home and away matches if Bentivoglio remained in charge. Their protest stemmed from Bentivoglio’s connection to Carlo Gervasoni, a former Piacenza player who had implicated Bentivoglio in the match-fixing investigation. The fans viewed the appointment as disrespectful to the city and its supporters.
The club’s management quickly backtracked on their decision. After conducting just one training session, which was reportedly interrupted by angry fans storming the grounds, Bentivoglio’s contract was terminated. This wasn’t the first time Bentivoglio had a fleeting managerial experience; in September, he was hired by another club but left after spending just one night in a hotel, never even making it to his first training session.
By evening, Piacenza had resolved the situation by recalling Stefano Rossini, the very coach they had dismissed on October 7th. Rossini was immediately put in charge for the team’s Coppa Italia match against Villa Valle. The club currently sits in 11th place in Serie D Group D, having accumulated 14 points from 12 matches.
In addition to the coaching changes, Piacenza also announced a shift in their front office. Carlo Maria Zerminiani will take over as the new sporting director, replacing the ousted Sestu. Club president Marco Polenghi addressed the Bentivoglio situation in a radio interview, stating simply that they had acknowledged the fans’ complete rejection of the appointment.
