As the new European season gears up for kickoff, plenty of fans are eager to see what impact their new signings will bring in the upcoming season. Admittedly new signings are important, as quality players give the team an edge on the field, but the people who will manage these players are arguably more important.
Managers decide on personnel/tactics, and their decisions are more likely to impact the outcome of a game. Below are 5 new managers expected to make a significant impact on their team’s performances.
Unai Emery (PSG).
The former Valencia, Spartak Moscow and Sevilla manger comes to France to replace the hugely successful Laurent Blanc, who won three successive Ligue I titles. The pressure on Unai Emery’s shoulders is immense, as he will be expected to win the Ligue I, and also make a deep run in the Champions League.
The outgoing PSG manager never made it past the Quarter Final stages of the UEFA Champions League, and one will expect that Unai Emery, who has shown his European pedigree with 3 consecutive Europa League titles, will be able to guide the Parisians to at least the semi-final stages.
Jose Mourinho (Manchester United)
The former Porto, Chelsea, Internazionale and Real Madrid manager finally got the move he’s been linked with for quite a while, signing for English giants Manchester United. It is a match made in heaven, as Manchester United have stagnated since the exit of Sir Alex Ferguson, while the Portuguese gaffer has a reputation to rebuild after a dismal campaign with Chelsea last season. Manchester United have spent a lot of money this summer, signing the likes of Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zlatan Ibrahimovich and Eric Bailey. Expectations are high, with many predicting a title win or at least a challenge till the very end, as well as a domestic Cup/Europa League victory.
Antonio Conte (Chelsea).
Antonio Conte, plucked from the clutches of the Azzurri by Roman Abramovich, heads to England with his reputation intact, following three stellar seasons at Juventus, and two impressive years with the Italian national team. He inherits a Chelsea team who last season, mounted the lamest title challenge in Premier League history.
Chelsea haven’t splurged this season, compared to their Manchester rivals, but the Italian gaffer will be expected to guide them at least to back into the Champions League places. Roman Abramovich demands success, and Conte might be looking at one of the domestic cups as a way to win a trophy in his first season.
Jorge Sampaoli (Sevilla)
Serial Europa League winners Sevilla made the bold move of replacing Unai Emery with Jorge Sampaoli, who has no experience of managing European clubs. Sampaoli has been hugely successful in his stints managing clubs in South America, but his biggest feat till date is winning Back to Back Copa America titles with Chile.
The Argentine manager, who favours high energy attacking football will be looking to guide Sevilla to the knockout stages of the Champions League. In the league, he will be expected to battle with the likes of Villarreal and Valencia for the coveted 4th Champions League spot.
Carlo Ancelloti (Bayern Munich)
The hugely experienced former manager of Juventus, AC Milan, PSG, Chelsea and Real Madrid comes to Bavaria to replace the world class Pep Guardiola, who is now in England with Manchester City. The Italian manager, who is a league winner in Italy, Spain, England and France should fancy his battle with Borussia Dortmund, who are realistically their only real title challengers. He is, however, most likely to be judged on how well he performs in the Champions League. Bayern Munich were knocked out of the competition in the semifinals of the last three editions, and Carletto will be hoping to go one step further to the final, and maybe even winning it.