“I feel at home in Italy” – Paulo Sousa prepares for Salernitana bow | OneFootball

Paulo Sousa is back in football with Italian side Salernitana. The Portuguese was announced by the Campania club on Thursday and will make his debut on the bench against Lazio in Serie A on Sunday.

Sousa has signed a contract initially until the end of the season, with an option of a 2-year extension should Salernitana avoid relegation. I Granata are currently 16th in the table, four points clear of the drop zone.

"I am happy to be the new coach of Salernitana and to return to a country where I feel at home,” Sousa said in a statement. “With hard work, team spirit and the drive of the city we can overcome every challenge.

“With the courage and everyone's compromise together with the passion of our fans, I'm sure we will experience joys. I can't wait to play the first match and to be with the fans to show what Salernitana is made of.”

Sousa has experienced a turbulent time of late in his managerial career, which has seen him coach in a remarkable number of countries. The former Seleção star has worked in Portugal, England, Hungary, Israel, Switzerland, Italy, China, France, Poland and Brazil.

2022 was a controversial year for Sousa, beginning with his decision to leave the position of Poland national team manager in order to take charge of Brazilian giants Flamengo. Sousa’s stint in South America lasted just six months before he was fired by the Rio de Janeiro club.

As a player, Sousa enjoyed great success in Italian football with Juventus, where he became the first Portuguese to win the European Cup with a foreign team. Sousa also spent two years in Serie A coaching Fiorentina between 2015-2017.