Pioli tells Fiorentina to get inspiration from Ronaldo and sends message to Allegri

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 06: AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli looks on before the Serie A TIM match between AC Milan and US Lecce – Serie A TIM at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 06, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

New Fiorentina coach Stefano Pioli won’t forget that Massimiliano Allegri omitted the Tuscans among the Coppa Campioni contenders and insists his players must get inspiration from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Pioli has returned to the Stadio Franchi for his second stint as a coach and was unveiled at a press conference on Wednesday.

Pioli explains why he returned to Fiorentina

“The experiences I’ve had so far have brought me to the highest point of my career,” Pioli said via TMW.

“I know there are many expectations here, but I already have a great feeling because I’ve found a lot of human depth in addition to one of the most beautiful training centres I’ve ever seen. I feel ready to do an outstanding job.”

Pioli was the Fiorentina coach when Davide Astori tragically died in his sleep on March 4, 2018, aged 31, before an away Serie A match against Udinese.

Fiorentina still remember their former captain before each home match by announcing their ex-No.13 in their starting XI.

“Obviously, he had a significant impact on my professional and personal life,” said Pioli.

“I still feel him, and that will never change. If we manage to take the same step forward as a team, we can even win the Scudetto.”

Pioli had reached an agreement with Fiorentina at the beginning of June, but it took him over a month to terminate his contract with Al-Hilal, where he had coached Cristiano Ronaldo.

“I’ve always wanted to come back. One phone call was enough. It was a month of anxiety, but still very positive,” Pioli said.

Pioli: coaching Cristiano Ronaldo ‘an honour

“It was an honour to coach him [Cristiano Ronaldo]. He’s much more than a champion,” he continued.

“You have no idea what lies behind his figure. I shared his management with him. He’s an incredible professional, and he’s obsessed with playing and scoring goals. He lives each day to be ready for the next game. That’s the kind of determination we need to have.”

Pioli will coach Moise Kean in the 2025-26 season. The Italian striker was the second-best Serie A goal scorer in 2024-25, and his €52m release clause expired yesterday, July 15, 2025.

“I’ve spoken with Moise during this period, but I don’t know whether I had an impact on his decision to stay. He’s very grateful to Florence. I’ve seen him calm and eager to work these days. He’s a very strong player,” he said.

Edin Dzeko has moved to the Franchi, while Albert Gudmundsson has made his loan move permanent. Can Fiorentina use all three of their stars simultaneously?

“We won’t always be the same, but the idea is to get them playing all together,” Pioli replied.

“Much will depend on their ability to work together. I’ll repeat it, the more quality players we have, the more chances we have to win.

“We should not focus on just one role or position. Gudmundsson a player with quality, great intelligence and desire to make an impact. He offers many solutions in attack, and I count on him. Fazzini has similar traits. What matters is having players with quality, pace and unpredictability. Unpredictability is the key to beating opponents.”

Pioli confirmed that Luca Ranieri would be Fiorentina’s captain next season and seemed confident that the Tuscans would compete for a spot in the top four next season.

“It won’t be Pioli against Allegri or Conte. It will be Fiorentina against Napoli, Milan and others,” he said.

“We have fire inside. I could have stayed where I was and been one of the ten highest-paid coaches in the world. If Fiorentina wants to be top, we need to prove it. Allegri didn’t put us among the Coppa Campioni contenders. I’ve already written that on the board.”

Pioli has signed a long-term contract at the Stadio Franchi, which will run until June 2028.