Mauro Zappi’s adventure at Virtus Imola ended with defeat in Sunday’s derby. Yesterday, in fact, the general manager Gabriele Torreggiani and the sporting director Carlo Marchi communicated to the Imola coach that the yellow and black club does not want to continue the relationship. The number one favorite to take his place seems to be Giuliano Loperfido from Bologna, born in 1979 and author of the Ozzano of miracles last season: Luca Pizzi from Imola, returning from a year’s break after 6 championships, should arrive as assistant coach together again in Ozzano, 5 with the former red and white Federico Grandi and the last (crowned by access to the play-offs) with Loperfido. At Virtus there was already talk of Loperfido a few months ago, at the time of coach Regazzi’s dismissal, then the internal line prevailed with Mauro Zappi promoted and confirmed (thanks to the results) as head coach. And Radio-mercato also considers the Dimitri Klyuchnyk center (currently in Roseto) to be very close, which would thus reunite Virtus with Loperfido as well as Barattini and Chiappelli, his companions in the Ozzano team from which Torreggiani also arrived in the summer of 2022 and in the following months other members of the yellow and black staff (such as Dr. Cuzzani and the athletic trainer Rorato).
Decisive defeats
Virtus Imola’s decision is certainly quite surprising, given that just last Saturday (on the eve of the derby) Mauro Zappi had spoken thus to Corriere Romagna: “It is no mystery that a month ago, after the success in Ravenna, the management and I we parted with a handshake and an agreement for next season. Then there is nothing signed, but for this club a handshake has always been worth a contract. In short, I’m ready, now it depends more on them.”
Evidently the 5 consecutive defeats and in particular the last one at the hands of Andrea Costa, with 400 red and white fans celebrating the double blow (victory and play-off) in a Ruggi that was 2/3 yellow and black, convinced the president Davide Fiumi and the Virtussian management to “take back” that handshake. At the end of November, Zappi (record of 11-12) had inherited a difficult legacy like that of Marco Regazzi and the derby won, as an underdog, on 7 January against Andrea Costa had “sanctioned” his confirmation at the helm of Virtussino rudder, after a “trial” period, so to speak. Good play, illustrious scalps and cousins grabbed in the standings with an eye on the play-offs: for all these reasons, after the success in Ravenna on 10 March, Virtus had called up Zappi and essentially found an agreement (also economic, with an increase) for next season. Five defeats later, everything has changed. And Mauro Zappi’s adventure at Virtus, which lasted two years, is over.
