Eusebio Di Francesco’s new bet

Once upon a time Eusebio DiFrancesco enfant prodige mode, modern and attractive coach, still holder of the best placement in Serie A of Sassuolo, and in those parts, later, also someone like Roberto De Zerbi passed. Follower of Zeman without indulging in his excesses, prophet of the 4-3-3 and of a short team, who in the year of sixth place for the black and green managed to lock down the goal with 40 goals conceded against only 49 scored: numbers that are anything but Zemanians. Then came Rome, promised land, the square that had shown him greatness when he was a footballer accustomed to the province. He seemed ready to make the leap, to pass the concepts of other coaches he had along the way into the locker room: from Marcello Lippi, who he had at the time of Lucchese, to Fabio Capello, the man of the third Roma scudetto. An experience, the one at the helm of the Giallorossi, marked by some sparkling European nights (Chelsea, Shakthar, Barcelona) and a continuity of play never really found, until his exemption after just under two seasons.

Just over four years have passed since Di Francesco’s last bench with Roma (March 2019, 3-1 in Oporto), it seems like a lifetime. In between, he collected three exemptions, all burning: three points in seven days at Sampdoria, then regenerated by Ranieri; three victories in 23 games in Cagliari, then saved by Semplici; the misery of three defeats in as many days at the helm of a Hellas then brought to port in a brilliant way by Igor Tudor.

Di Francesco’s run-up restarts from Ciociaria: the step backwards by Fabio Grosso, architect of the promotion, opened the doors of Frosinone for him. Guido Angelozzi, sporting director who had already crossed paths with Di Francesco in Sassuolo, bet on his relaunch. The almost two-year break has left him with a desire to split the world that is emerging in his first interviews: “I’d like to win the Champions League in Frosinone, or rather achieve salvation”. The club, in fact, is in pursuit of the first stay in Serie A in its history: on the two previous occasions the classic yo-yo effect was triggered, with the immediate descent after winning the top flight.

To outline Frosinone’s ambitions we will have to wait for the market, also because the very first moves took away several of the pillars of promotion from Di Francesco: Boloca and Mulattieri ended up at Sassuolo, even if going down opposite paths, while Lucioni brought his defensive and as a “promotion charm” in Palermo together with Roberto Insigne; Moro’s loan has ended, Rohden is free. The Frosinone construction site, therefore, restarts from Di Francesco and from the first purchases (Marchizza, Harroui, the return of Turati between the posts) and from his game ideas: the development that Giuseppe Caso could have, among the best of last year, arouses curiosity vintage, external electric attack that seems to have been tailor made for the football of the Abruzzo coach. The beginning of a new life, therefore. For Frosinone and, above all, for Di Francesco, who will no longer be able to be an enfant, but hopes at least to return to having the contours of the prodigy.