Del Neri returns to Chievo
Monday, October 16, 2006
Article summary
AC Chievo Verona have parted company with Giuseppe Pillon and appointed former coach Luigi Del Neri, whose first spell in charge was known as the "Chievo miracle".
Article body
AC Chievo Verona have parted company with Giuseppe Pillon and reappointed former coach Luigi Del Neri until the end of the season.
'Thanks and good luck'
"President Luca Campedelli and the whole club thank Pillon for his work and wish him the best of luck for his future career," the Italian side said in a statement. The 50-year-old Pillon led the Verona outfit to seventh place in Serie A last term, which earned qualification for the UEFA Champions League after Juventus, S.S. Lazio and ACF Fiorentina were punished for their part in a match-fixing scandal.
Levski loss
Chievo, however, failed to reach the group stage after losing 4-2 on aggregate to PFC Levski Sofia in the third qualifying round and subsequently fell out of the UEFA Cup in the first round following a 3-2 aggregate defeat by SC Braga. Chievo have also made a disappointing start to the league campaign, lying fifth from bottom with only one point from six games.
Del Neri return
Del Neri, 56, coached Chievo between 2000 and 2004, steering the team to promotion to Serie A and then to UEFA Cup qualification, achievements that became known as the "miracle of Chievo". In 2004 Del Neri moved to then UEFA Champions League holders FC Porto, but was dismissed before the season even started. He then had short spells at AS Roma and US Città di Palermo but had been without a club since last January after leaving the Sicilian side.