With the club battling to stave off relegation, Cannavaro is Udinese's third managerial change of the season after Andrea Sottil and Gabriele Cioffi, the latter overseeing 24 matches, winning on just four occasions.

Cioffi leaves the Zebrette in 17th, one place above the drop zone courtesy of a superior goal difference to Frosinone. The loss to direct rivals Verona, the third of the past four matches, persuaded President Franco Soldati to make bold changes to the Udinese coaching staff. There are five matches and 18 minutes still to play this season.

Eighteen minutes plus stoppage time to be precise: that's how long remains in the match against AS Roma that was suspended on April 14th following Evan Ndicka's on-field collapse. With the scores tied at 1-1, the Giallorossi will return to the Bluenergy Stadium for a 72nd-minute restart where Cannavaro will debut against former 2006 Italy teammate Daniele De Rossi.

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Cannavaro has signed a contract with Udinese that runs until the end of the campaign and will be assisted by Francesco Troise and younger brother Paolo, two soccer professionals he worked alongside during his stints at Guangzhou. Former Udinese midfielder Giampiero Pinzi, who scored 17 goals in 334 games for the Bianconeri, has joined the technical staff.

His on-field achievements need no introduction and have made him one of the greatest players in the history of Italian football. Cannavaro is a young, well-prepared coach of international stature, who has already had the opportunity to prove his skills abroad.

His technical and on-pitch experience as well as his undisputed leadership qualities make Cannavaro the ideal person to save the club from relegation."

Udinese was bought by Italian businessman Giampaolo Pozzo in 1986 and subsequently suffered three demotions, the last of which occurred in 1994. Together with his son Gino, who owns English second-division side Watford FC, the pair have swapped dozens of footballers over the years including current Udinese stars Gerard Deulofeu and captain Roberto Pereyra.

Twice qualified for the UEFA Champions League earlier this century, the Friulani have diminished as a force in Serie A, failing to obtain a top half-of-the-table finish since clinching fifth place under Francesco Guidolin in 2013. With Pinzi calling the shots in midfield that season, Antonio Di Natale instigated a glorious comeback to beat Liverpool at Anfield, adding 23 more goals in Serie A - seven less than the entire squad's total in 2023-24.

Cannavaro was most likely chosen by Pozzo and Soldati based on his preferred 3-5-2 formation, a staple of Calcio since the sixties and used by his predecessors in Udine for some time. Cannavaro can take inspiration from former employer Inter Milan, who won their 20th Serie A title within hours of his milestone appointment in Udine.

The 50-year-old is the third winner from the 2006 World Cup to manage a Serie A team this term, with De Rossi and Alberto Gilardino converting their respective caretaker roles into full-time positions at Roma and Genoa.

Here lies the opportunity for Cannavaro, who can capitalise on Roma's defeat at Bologna by catching De Rossi off guard. With a managerial reputation stained by Benevento's relegation to the third division, Udinese's salvation is paramount to Cannavaro's ascent into a long-lasting career at the top level.