The 2022/23 season was a historic one for Monza before it even began. After a fantastic Serie B campaign last season, I Biancorossi were set to play in the Serie A for the first time in the club’s history. The road to the top was far from easy though, and before Silvio Berlusconi’s takeover in 2018, the Lombardy club were declared bankrupt twice, first in 2004 and then again in 2015.

Ahead of their first season in the topflight, Berlusconi made an unbelievable 23 signings in the transfer window, with some notable players such as Juventus duo Nicolò Rovella and Filippo Ranocchia as well as Inter’s Stefano Sensi all joining on loan. With such a drastic change in personnel, former manager Giovanni Stroppa would need some time to adjust and develop the team. However, after just one point in their first six matches, Berlusconi decided it was time to change it up.

The answer was 38-year-old Raffaele Palladino, a retired winger who played his entire professional career in Italy. The appointment came as a shock to everyone. Raffaele had no senior managerial experience, with only two seasons of experience managing Monza’s youth sides.

The experiment did not take long to prove successful, as Palladino beat a then-undefeated Juventus side 1-0 just days after his appointment. Two months later, the Italian manager has won six of his first 10 matches as Monza sit comfortably in 14th place, only five points from the top half of the table. The underlying metrics, however, demonstrate an incredible improvement in performance.

In his first press conference as Monza’s manager, Raffaele Palladino mentioned the importance of lifting the mood at the Stadio Brianteo and playing with “heart and soul”. Tactically, he cited Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini as his biggest influence. It did not take long for the similarities to develop, and after only a few months in charge, Palladino has Monza playing some of the most exciting football in Italy.

This tactical analysis will provide an in-depth look at Raffaele Palladino’s tactics and playing style at Monza. Palladino has completely changed Monza’s performances after a six-game winless start to the league, and this video will also examine what makes Palladino’s side so exciting.

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