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Vincenzo Montella
First team

VINCENZO MONTELLA: SERIE A SPECIALIST MAKES SEVILLA HIS SIXTH CLUB

27/12/2017
Entradilla
The coach arrives at Sevilla having managed Roma, Catania, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Milan since his venture into management in February 2011
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Vincenzo Montella has been announced as Sevilla FC's next First Team coach pending the agreement of departure terms with AC Milan and the signing of a new contract to last this and next season.

Montella (18/06/1974) is an exemplary Italian football coach. Having been a successful striker at the end of the nineties and at the start of the new millennium (playing for Empoli, Genoa, Sampdoria, Roma, Fulham and Roma), he made his biggest impacts at Sampdoria - where he became an important player - and Roma - with whom he won a Scudetto in the 00/01 season. In total, he played 288 games in Serie A and scored 141 goals.

A successful striker with both Sampdoria and Roma, his career on the sidelines has been one of Italy's strongest over the past years

When he eventually hung up his boots, Montella entered management in the academy ranks of AS Roma, where he was later named First Team coach on the 21st of February 2011, replacing Claudio Ranieri. He took the side to a sixth place finish and after brief spell in charge, left to take reigns at Catania in the 11/12 season. There, he helped the club achieve their objective of safety in Serie A two months before the season was over and even ended up fighting for a European place. 

His great season in Sicily did not go unnoticed by Fiorentinawho hired Montella in the 12/13 season. It was at Fiorentina where he picked up what were undoubtedly his best results: three fourth place finishes, one Copa de Italia final and a semi-final in the Europa League (where Sevilla FC were the team to end their run en route to another Europa League title). 

After his most impressive run with Fiorentina, he led AC Milan to a return to European football after three years in the cold 

He left Florence in the summer of 2015 but was already back in the job by November - this time replacing Walter Zenga after a poor start to the season. At the club, he coincided with Sevillistas Luis Muriel and Joaquín Correa and achieved safety three games before the season end. 

In June 2016, Montella took charge of AC Milan. In his first season - the 16/17 season - he achieved a very respectable sixth place, which was enough to give the Rossoneri a return to European competition after three years in the cold. He started this season in charge of Milan but was dismissed after 14 games - with the Red and Blacks in seventh place.

Should the deal go through as expected, Sevilla FC will become Vincenzo Montella's sixth club. It will be his first job outside of Italy, as well as his first venture into Champions League competition - a considerable challenge for the textbook Italian coach.