Massimo Donati Leads FC Legnago Salus Back into Italy's Serie C

Massimo Donati has taken a significant step forward in his coaching career, leading FC Legnago Salus out of Italy’s Serie D at the first time of asking.

The 42-year-old Football Careers client — who starred for the likes of AC Milan, Celtic, Bari, and Palermo in a storied playing life — was appointed at the club last year after they fell out of Serie C.

Now, he has guided Legnago back into the third tier of the Italian game to bring joy to a club with a proud 102-year history.

Massimo’s side’s task was to finish top of their division in the regionalised fourth level and they have achieved that with time to spare. Donati paid tribute to his squad at the Stadio Mario Sandrini as he stressed:

“Without a great group there are not victories. My thanks go to the boys, my staff, the directors and everyone for this amazing ride.”

Donati, who starred for Italy at every level bar the top team in his journey as a player, could be easing into a retirement in his homeland where he is very popular as an insightful TV pundit. He has done stints with top broadcasters DAZN in any coaching hiatus he has had but retains a thirst to learn and grow as a coach.

That brought him back to part-time Legnago last summer and now he has delivered a coveted promotion to a level of competition that currently contains some notable names like Pescara and Reggiana.

In his playing days, Massimo was a two-million-euro signing for Celtic in the Gordon Strachan era and won a Premier League title and a Scottish League Cup in his time in the Hoops. He played 50 games over his two years in Glasgow, scoring five goals before returning to Serie A with Bari.

Now Donati the coach is already planning for the next chapter, after a brief chance to savour this season’s success. He reasoned:

“Today we celebrate, tomorrow we must set new goals.”

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