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Davide BallardiniItalian football coach
Date of Birth: 06.01.1964
Country:  Italy |
Content:
- Davide Ballardini: A Journey Through Italian Football Management
- Early Coaching Career
- Serie C1 and Cagliari Stint
- Coaching Misfortunes
- Rise with Palermo
- Lazio and Dismissal
- Coaching Rollercoaster
- Genoa Return and Achievements
- Personal Life
- Honors
Davide Ballardini: A Journey Through Italian Football Management
Footballing Roots and MentorshipItalian football manager Davide Ballardini spent seven formative years at Cesena, playing in the first team under Osvaldo Bagnoli and the youth team under Arrigo Sacchi. He credits these influential figures as his mentors, shaping his footballing mentality and style akin to Sacchi's approach.
Early Coaching Career
Ballardini's coaching journey began at Cesena and Ravenna, where he guided youth teams. He then joined the youth (Under 19) setups at Milan and Parma, leading the latter to the Under 18 Italian Championship and reaching the Under 20 semi-finals.
Serie C1 and Cagliari Stint
On September 1, 2004, Ballardini took over as head coach of Serie C1 club Sambenedettese, helping them finish fourth and reach the play-offs for promotion to Serie B, where they were defeated by Napoli. In 2005, he was hired by Cagliari but was dismissed after nine games without a victory.
Coaching Misfortunes
After a brief stint at Pescara, Ballardini returned to Cagliari to replace Ned Sonetti in December 2007. His leadership significantly improved their league results, earning 32 points in 21 weeks, ultimately staving off relegation. Despite his success, Ballardini failed to agree on a contract extension with Cagliari president Massimo Cellino and departed in May.
Rise with Palermo
On September 4, 2008, Ballardini took charge of Palermo, signing a one-year deal. The team made an immediate impact under his guidance, defeating Roma 3-1 and Juventus 2-1 in the first two fixtures. Palermo's victory at Juventus' home ground marked their first win in Turin over the Bianconeri in 47 years. Ballardini's contract was subsequently extended by two years in October. However, rumors of his potential departure surfaced in May 2009, and he announced his decision to leave due to disagreements with the president.
Lazio and Dismissal
On June 15, 2009, Ballardini became Lazio's head coach, signing a two-year contract. He won his first career trophy, the Italian Super Cup, in his debut match against Internazionale. However, Lazio's inconsistent performances in the league and their elimination from the Europa League led to fan displeasure. On February 10, 2010, Ballardini was dismissed, replaced by Edoardo Reja.
Coaching Rollercoaster
Ballardini's managerial career continued to be marked by ups and downs. He led Genoa to victory in his first match but was fired in May 2011. He returned to Cagliari, but was sacked in March 2012 due to poor results. After a stint at Genoa from 2013 to 2014 and another at Bologna, he was appointed Palermo's coach in November 2015. His second tenure at Palermo ended prematurely in January 2016, only to be reinstated in April. He departed again in September of the same year.
Genoa Return and Achievements
Ballardini was named Genoa's coach for the third time in November 2017 and extended his contract in May 2018. He led the team to several notable victories, including defeating Juventus and AC Milan. However, his tenure was terminated in October 2018 following a disappointing loss to Parma.
Personal Life
Ballardini has three sons who all pursued professional football careers: Leo Natale (born 1990), Elia (born 1991), and Eric (born 1995).
