MILAN, Italy — AC Monza have appointed Ivan Juric as their new head coach following the club’s return to Serie A, entrusting the experienced Croatian manager with leading the newly promoted side in Italy’s top division.
The club announced Juric’s appointment on Monday but did not disclose the length of his contract. Italian media reports indicate the 50-year-old has signed a deal that will keep him at Monza through 2028.
Juric succeeds Paolo Bianco, who guided Monza back to Serie A after only one season in Serie B. The Lombardy club secured promotion in May by winning the promotion playoffs, completing an immediate return to the Italian top flight.
Bianco departed shortly after the successful campaign and was appointed head coach of Pisa last week. Pisa were relegated from Serie A at the end of the 2025-26 season and will compete in Serie B next season.
For Juric, the appointment marks a return to coaching after a brief spell away from the dugout. He has been without a managerial role since being dismissed by Atalanta in November last year following an unsuccessful start to the campaign.
Juric arrives at Monza with extensive experience in Italian football, having previously managed Genoa, Hellas Verona, Torino and AS Roma. His tactical approach, built around an aggressive pressing system and disciplined defensive structure, earned praise during several of those appointments, particularly at Verona and Torino.
The Croatian also gained international experience during a stint in the English Premier League, where he managed Southampton before returning to Italy.
Monza will hope Juric’s familiarity with Serie A can help the club establish itself in the top division after securing an immediate promotion. The club’s objective will be to avoid another relegation battle while building on the momentum generated during last season’s successful promotion campaign.
Juric now faces the challenge of preparing Monza for life back among Italy’s elite, with preseason training expected to begin in the coming weeks ahead of the 2026-27 Serie A season.
