Gzira United have appointed Giovanni Tedesco as their new coach following the departure of Andrew Cohen.

This will be Tedesco’s second spell with the Maroons after serving as coach between May 2019 and January 2020. Under his leadership, Gzira eliminated Croatian giants Hajduk Split from the UEFA Europa League.

The Palermo-born coach had started his coaching career at Palermo at youth level and had coached Foligno before moving to Malta in 2014 to join Floriana, serving as coach between April 2014 and June 2015.

After leaving Birkirkara, he had a short spell as coach of Palermo in the Serie A mid-way through season 2015/16. He returned to Malta to join Floriana in June 2016, staying until December 2017. Tedesco joined Hamrun Spartans in summer 2018 but then moved to Gzira United in May 2019. After stepping down in January 2020, he moved to Valletta. He moved to the United Arab Emirates to join Al Bataeh Club but returned to Malta in December 2020 to join Sirens.

In summer 2021, he moved to Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates together with a number of Malta-based players but the project fell through. In January 2022, Tedesco joined Santa Lucia until the end of the season, moving to Birkirkara in May 2022, he returned with Birkirkara. He stepped down in November 2023 but stepped down mid-way through season 2023/24. Last summer, he joined Al-Mesaimeer in Qatar but his stay lasted just four games.

The Maroons will be playing in the Opening Round Bottom 6 after missing out on a Top 6 spot after conceding two late goals in a decisive game against Hamrun Spartans last week.