Gabriele Zappa's six-year spell with the Rossoblu has come to an end. Cagliari has announced the defender's loan to Hellas Verona until the end of the 2026-27 season, with an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met. Sebastiano Esposito's move to Sassuolo is also expected to be made official shortly, with the subsequent arrival of Riccardo Ciervo .
He was one of the Rossoblu's longest-serving players, even wearing the captain's armband both from the start and during matches. In total, Zappa finished with 215 appearances across Serie A, Serie B, and the Coppa Italia, with 6 goals and 13 assists . Among these, his brace against AC Milan in November 2024 and his 94th-minute cross for Leonardo Pavoletti in Bari in the second leg of the Serie B playoffs are noteworthy.
Tommaso Giulini's thanks for him on social media:
"Hello Gialloblù fans, I'm Gabriele Zappa and I'm here to plough the armband for you: come on Verona," were the defender's first words after signing for Hellas Verona, who are aiming to be one of the protagonists of the new Serie B.
