Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano confirmed he was leaving the Serie A club after their season-ending win over Atalanta on Sunday.
Fiorentina beat Atalanta 3-2 in their last game of the campaign thanks to an Andrea Belotti double either side of a strike by Nicolas Gonzalez, all inside the first half, a week after the 2023-34 Serie A season concluded for the other clubs.
The game was postponed in March when Fiorentina’s general manager Joe Barone was admitted to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest, one day before he died.
“We all took this definitive decision together not so many weeks ago,” Italiano told a press conference.
“I think it’s also right, given all the discussions we’ve had, that you reach a certain point where you have to stop.
“I’m convinced whoever arrives will be able to continue a path that will leave something improved, I hope I have left something to this group, I think they have been three positive years.
“The only regret was not having added (the Europa Conference League) cup, but as (Atalanta manager Gian Piero) Gasperini told me the paths are worthwhile and will be remembered.”
Olympiakos beat Fiorentina 1-0 after extra time in the final on Wednesday when a late winner from Ayoub El Kaabi gave the Greek club their first major European trophy.
“I would play Olympiakos v Fiorentina again tonight, we were all convinced we could beat them. We all believed we could reach the end of the circle but we didn’t succeed,” Italiano added.
“The saddest moment was the loss of our director, the worst moment since I was in football. The love we had for him pushed us towards an emotional ending.”
Italiano arrived at Fiorentina in 2021, leading them to two Europa Conference League finals and the 2022-23 Coppa Italia final, which they lost 2-1 against defending champions Inter Milan.
They finished eighth in Serie A this season, and will play in the Conference League playoffs in the upcoming campaign.
