Football Season Guide

Coach Marco Baroni made a miracle last season as he managed to drive Hellas Verona to salvation despite a ridiculous campaign. In fact, despite the promising first 2 weeks, when they won both games, they seemed to be heading towards the bottom of the table, come December. Then, President Setti, in the winter transfer campaign, let go most of the starters and in came a great number of unknowns. The situation looked even more desperate at least until mid-February: afterwards, Hellas started winning the odd game, while losing less, and they eventually finished 13th. Baroni logically attracted the interest of Lazio, coming off a poor campaign, and left for pastures new. Thus, Hellas Verona management handed the reins of the team to 41-year-old Paolo Zanetti, whose Serie A experience amounts to a relegation with Venezia, a salvation and a sacking, only after 5 disastrous weeks last season, while at Empoli. As it always happens with Hellas Verona, the summer was a merry-go-round, with players coming and going. A few protagonists of the past campaign let go and they may be missed. This is certainly the case of starting Folorunsho, who returned to his parent club after an impressive season. Kastanos, coming off a disastrous experience at Salernitana, and Harroui, also relegated with Frosinone, are candidates take his place in the middle of the park. Starting Cabal was sold for good cash to Juventus and Frese, from Nordsjaelland, should replace him at left-back. However, the attack is where they saw the main changes with winger Noslin sold to Lazio after leaving a big mark, 5 goals and 4 assists, in his short stint at Hellas, and strikers Bonazzoli, Swiderski and Henry also departing. In came Mosquera from Colombia and Rocha Livramento from the Dutch Eerste Divisie and they are both to be considered as gambles. Not too surprisingly, Hellas Verona are still looking for players in each and every department, centre-backs, wingers and strikers above all.