Serie A: Ex-Italy international Motta to coach Bologna

Former Italian international Thiago Motta is to be the new coach of Serie A side Bologna three months after stepping down from the Spezia hotseat.

Bologna CEO Claudio Fenucci made the announcement at a press conference on Saturday adding a few contractual details needed to be ironed out with 40-year-old Motta.

“We have decided that as of Monday the first team coach will be Thiago Motta,” said Fenucci.

Motta — who won the Serie A, Champions League and Italian Cup treble as a player with Inter Milan in 2010 — replaces Sinisa Mihajlovic who was fired on Tuesday.

Brazil-born Motta guided modest Spezia to 16th spot last season but left by mutual consent in June — his previous coaching experience with Genoa in 2019 ended after just two months.

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Luca Vigiani, coach of the Under-19 side, will be in the dugout for Sunday’s game with Fiorentina.

Mihajlovic was dismissed after Bologna failed to win any of their first five matches in Serie A this season.

The 53-year-old Serbian had been in situ since January 2019 but was diagnosed with leukemia just before the 2019-20 season and has been in and out of hospital since to undergo treatment and avoid the risk of a relapse.