Lecce, former striker Di Michele: «Come on Giallorossi, Di Francesco is ok»

LECCE - In 2011/2012, David Di Michele was part of the Lecce team that, from the preparation phase until December 4, was led by Eusebio Di Francesco, the trainer who is about to sign with the Salento club in view of the 2025/2026 season. "I have great memories of him, both as a coach and from a human point of view - says the former striker - It was his first experience in the top division, but he immediately demonstrated the right approach with the group. As for the playing system, the choice fell on 4-3-3. His football was very proactive and in my opinion we played several good games, developing technical and tactical ideas that were cutting edge. Unfortunately, the results were not what we hoped for and we know that in Italy there is always very little time to build something. So he paid with his dismissal, after 13 days, with a number of points that did not live up to expectations. I am certain, however, that the adventure in Salento has tempered him and has served him well for the subsequent steps of his career."

The former striker added: «If, as is now taken for granted by many, he will be the new coach of Lecce, he will have the chance to prove his worth».

And yet, after the relegations suffered as a coach of Frosinone, in 2023/2024, and of Venezia, in 2024/2025, he was labeled by many as the coach who knows how to make his teams play well, except to fail to reach the goal of permanence: "The results must be contextualized - says Di Michele - In Ciociaria, he had a team made up of talented youngsters, but completely inexperienced for the category. Among other things, he paid the price on the last day, after having long given the impression of being able to do it. In the lagoon, the squad mainly included foreign players who needed to be molded and who did not know Serie A. He made them grow technically and also tactically, but it was not enough to avoid the downgrading. In both cases, in my opinion he did a good job, without prejudice to the fact that the goal of salvation was not reached, which weighs on the judgments".

Even in Lecce he will have many foreign players, with whom he will have to try to give Salento their fourth consecutive stay in Serie A: "I suppose that the head of the technical area Corvino and the sports director Trinchera will not dismantle the current group, which will be retouched. This means that Di Francesco will be able to count on players who already know the top division for having played there for one or more seasons, which is important. Then it will be up to all the components to stand firm with the intent of toasting another salvation. Those who leave to avoid relegation know well that there will be suffering and fighting until the last breath".

Di Francesco had his best seasons as a coach of Sassuolo and in his first year on the bench of Roma: «He brought the Emilian team to Serie A for the first time and then stabilized it in the top division, starting a cycle that, with other coaches, lasted until the relegation in 2023/2024. Among other things, expressing entertaining football. The excellent things he showed with the Neroverdi earned him the call to the capital, where he climbed onto the podium in the championship and played a Champions League semi-final».

Lecce is coming off its third consecutive salvation, achieved in a thrilling tournament finale: "The last 90 minutes seemed prohibitive. Instead, the team had the strength to conquer Lazio's pitch with a display of character, showing great attachment to the shirt. Credit also goes to Giampaolo, who achieved a historic result for the club, and to the club, which always managed to keep the course straight."

Marco Giampaolo was not confirmed: «That this could be the epilogue was understood at the end of the championship, after the home defeat against Como, at the end of which his dismissal was hypothesized. With the bowls settled, the technical area made its evaluations and decided this way».