Luciano Spalletti

Date of birth: 7 March 1959
Nationality: Italian
Playing career: Entella Chiavari, Spezia, Esperia Viareggio, Empoli
Coaching career: Empoli, Sampdoria, Venezia, Udinese (twice), Ancona, Roma (twice), Zenit, Internazionale Milano

• An industrious midfielder in his playing days, he started his coaching career in 1993/94 with former club Empoli and enjoyed immediate success with successive promotions. After a good first campaign in the top flight, Spalletti left to join Sampdoria but was sacked 28 games into the 1998/99 season.

• Had brief stays at Venezia, Udinese and Ancona but returned to Udinese in summer 2002, steering them to sixth and seventh-placed finishes before guiding them into the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 2004/05. This success persuaded Roma to approach Spalletti, and he signed a two-year contract.

• In 2005/06 Roma set a then-record of consecutive Serie A wins (11) and finished fifth, with Spalletti subsequently named Serie A coach of the year. Guided the Giallorossi to Coppa Italia success in 2007 and 2008 and two UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. He resigned in September 2009 and joined Zenit three months later.

• Soon after he delivered their first Russian Cup in 11 years, followed by league titles in 2010 and in the transitional 2011/12 campaign. Zenit reached the UEFA Champions League knockout stages for only the second time in 2013/14, but Spalletti left his post between the round of 16 first and second legs.

• Was out of work until January 2016, when he returned to Roma following Rudi Garcia's departure. Led the side from mid-table to third in that season and up to second place in 2016/17, departing again that summer; took charge of Inter in June 2017 and finished his first campaign in fourth position, enough for a first UEFA Champions League campaign in six seasons.