Roberto De Zerbi

De Zerbi started his professional career at AC Milan. He spent four seasons on loan to lower divisions clubs (Serie B to Serie C2). He spent 1999–2000 Serie C1 season in Como along with Alberto Comazzi and Luca Saudati of Milan. Half of the registration rights were also sold to Salernitana in the 2000–01 and 2001–02 season. In June 2002, Milan bought back De Zerbi from Salernitana, and subsequently sold him to Foggia. De Zerbi signed for Serie B side Napoli from Catania for €2.5 million in 2006. On 8 February 2010, Napoli announced his loan transfer to Romanian Liga I club CFR Cluj, with the deal being made permanent on 31 August 2010 on a three-year contract.

Palermo

On 6 September 2016, De Zerbi was named head coach of Serie A club Palermo following Davide Ballardini's departure by mutual consent due to disagreements with the board. His stint at the helm of the Sicilians, however, turned out to be negative, with seven consecutive defeats and no points at home in three months. After a penalty shootout elimination in a home match against Serie B club Spezia, De Zerbi was sacked on 30 November 2016, and replaced with former team captain Eugenio Corini.

Benevento

On 23 October 2017, De Zerbi was named head coach of 2017–18 Serie A newcomers Benevento. Despite the side being relegated to Serie B at the end of the season, De Zerbi was praised for his possession-based, attacking football and transfer business.

Sassuolo

On 13 June 2018, De Zerbi was appointed manager of Sassuolo. Under his tenure, Sassuolo were praised for their footballing style coupled with overachieving results, which led the small Emilia based club to two consecutive eighth place spots in the Italian top flight, losing a UEFA Conference League qualification place to Roma only on goal difference at the end of the 2020–21 Serie A season. In May 2021, De Zerbi announced he would leave Sassuolo at the end of the season.

Shakhtar Donetsk

On 25 May 2021, De Zerbi was announced as the new head coach of Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. On 22 September, he won the 2021 Ukrainian Super Cup against Dynamo Kyiv at the…

De Zerbi has developed a reputation for playing an attacking–minded possession-based style of football, focusing heavily on shorter build-up from the goalkeeper rather than quick counter-attacks. He also favours a deep double pivot approach in a 4–2–3–1 system whilst deploying an aggressive high press off the ball. This aims to draw the opposition higher up the pitch centrally, which De Zerbi's teams aim to exploit by working the ball wide, with his full backs veering close to the touchline on both sides. Through the goalkeeper acting as an auxiliary centre back in this set up, full backs are provided with the opportunity to push further forward, with a centre-forward or number 10 interchanging positions using the space created by the deep double pivot inviting pressure from the opposition. In these situations, De Zerbi's teams exhibit flexibility in methods of receiving the ball, through direct, clipped passes over the opposition press from the goalkeeper or centre-backs, where an emphasis on an ability and confidence to receive the ball under pressure close to their own goal is placed. During a low-build up, De Zerbi's teams use seven players starting with the goalkeeper in a 1–4–2 shape. The wingers remain high and wide in this scenario, with two midfielders acting as number 10s in positioning themselves between the opposition's backline and midfield line. Should the opposition's centre-backs push up in response, De Zerbi's wingers use the resulting space created to…

Player

Foggia

Serie C2: 2002–03 CFR Cluj

Liga I: 2009–10, 2011–12 Cupa Romaniei: 2009–10

Manager

Foggia

Coppa Italia Lega Pro: 2015–16 Shakhtar Donetsk

Ukrainian Super Cup: 2021 Individual

Enzo Bearzot Award: 2022