Since last June 4, the Cagliari bench has been officially vacant. The announcement of the separation with Davide Nicola , just eleven months after his appointment in July 2024, has opened the way for the successor whose name has not yet been identified. There are two favorites for the bench: Fabio Pisacane and Paolo Vanoli.
Pisacane would be an internal solution. After his experience in the red and blues as a player, between 2015 and 2021 with 152 appearances and 5 goals (including the last ever at Sant'Elia, in 2017 against Milan), he joined Cagliari in Fabio Liverani's staff in Serie B. After the latter's dismissal (who yesterday lost the Serie C playoff final with Ternana on penalties, against Pescara) he had already led the first team, in the 2-0 victory over Cosenza on 26 December 2022. He then moved to the Primavera, where he has led the team since March 2023 (first as assistant to Matteo Battilana, then as head coach) and with whom last 9 April he won a historic Coppa Italia with the 0-3 against Milan in the final at the Arena Civica .
Vanoli is instead a name already sought a year ago by Cagliari, before turning to Nicola. He too became available at the beginning of the week, with Torino announcing their decision not to continue with him for next season and replacing him with Marco Baroni . The former full-back of Verona, Parma, Fiorentina and Rangers among others closed his first season in Serie A in eleventh place, after two years at Venezia (with promotion in the playoffs in 2023-2024) and half a season in Russia at Spartak Moscow.
A decision is possible as early as the start of the new week. President Tommaso Giulini flew to the United States, where he witnessed Cagliari's elimination at The Soccer Tournament (a seven-a-side soccer tournament underway in North Carolina) and in which the rossoblù participated with a team led by Pisacane himself. He would be the president's choice, while sports director Nereo Bonato would prefer Vanoli. A third name is difficult, but not to be ruled out at the moment.
Cagliari's 2025-2026 season will officially begin on the third weekend of August (date and time to be defined), with the Coppa Italia round of 32 in a one-off match at Unipol Domus against one of Avellino and Audace Cerignola . The first matchday of Serie A will be on August 23-24, again at home against Fiorentina . The meeting is scheduled for July 10, but between June 16 and 18 the club will have to decide whether to exercise the right of redemption for the prized pieces Michel Adopo, Elia Caprile and Roberto Piccoli. Another reason why the choice of coach cannot be delayed for long.