(Reuters) – SPAL have appointed former AS Roma captain Daniele De Rossi as their new head coach to replace Roberto Venturato, the Italian second-tier side said on Tuesday.
The 39-year-old De Rossi, who won the 2006 World Cup with Italy, was an assistant to Roberto Mancini when the national team won the European Championship last year.
He left the role later that year to pursue his goal of becoming a manager and has signed a contract with SPAL until 2024.
De Rossi, who represented Italy 117 times, hung up his boots in 2020 after 18 years at Roma and a short stint with Argentinian top-flight side Boca Juniors.
SPAL, who were relegated to Serie B in 2020, are 14th in the table after eight games and travel to Cittadella on Saturday.
(Reporting by Silvia Recchimuzzi in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
