AC Milan and Lazio legend Alessandro Nesta to be named new manager of Perugia — who are in play-offs for Serie A promotion
Serie B side surprisingly sacked former manager Roberto Breda despite being in contention for return to Italy's top flight
ALESSANDRO NESTA is set to land his first managerial role in Europe with Italian second tier side Perugia.
Despite Perugia being assured of a promotion play-off spot in Serie B, they took the surprise decision to sack previous boss Roberto Breda.
Nesta, 42, was in the stands for the 1-1 draw against Novara, which confirmed their place in the play-offs — and Breda was dismissed the following morning.
The 2006 World Cup-winner's only previous managerial experience is with US side Miami FC, who he left in 2017.
But he has the chance for immediate success at eighth-place Perugia who have just one match of the league season remaining before the gruelling play-off campaign.
Nesta was one of the greatest defenders of his generation, starting his career with boyhood side Lazio.
How are Perugia in the play-offs if they are eighth?
THE promotion play-off system in Italy works a little differently in that it can change throughout the campaign.
Teams finishing between eighth and third are set to go head-to-head, with eight to fifth facing off in a mini play-off first.
The winners then progress to face the sides that finish third and fourth, with a final for the winners of that battle.
However, should there be a 14-point gap between the third and fourth sides in the regular season, the play-off will be scrapped.
Currently, Parma are in third place, but Palermo are just a point behind in fourth.
He was named captain by Sven-Goran Eriksson at the age of just 21 in 1997 and immediately skippered them to Coppa Italia success.
In the following season, Nesta led the team to victory in the Cup Winners' Cup, before bringing home Lazio's second-ever Serie A title in the 1999-2000 season, while also landing another domestic cup.
However, financial difficulties meant he the club were forced to sell him to AC Milan in 2002, where he won the first of his two Champions League medals in his first season.
In 2006, he was part of Italy's World Cup-winning squad, but injuries took their toll and he eventually retired in 2014 after spells in Canada and India.