Verona’s survival sparks big questions for next season | OneFootball

Hellas Verona are preparing for their 35th Serie A campaign, marking a seventh consecutive year in Italy’s top flight and the 11th participation since 2013. After negotiating a tense and eventful season, the Gialloblù head into 2025/26 buoyed by both recent survival and firm backing from the stands.

The 2024/25 campaign saw Verona once again embrace the role of battlers, securing safety with a decisive 2-1 away win at Empoli that sealed a 14th-place finish. Paolo Zanetti guided the side through a season punctuated by difficulties on and off the field but successfully kept the club above the relegation fray throughout, never dropping into the bottom three. Zanetti’s efforts have been recognised with an automatic contract renewal, a clear show of faith from a club looking to build on its stability.

Players repeatedly highlighted the role of Verona’s fans during the campaign. Tomáš Suslov thanked supporters for remaining behind the team "even in the difficult moments", while defender Diego Coppola described delivering survival as a source of pride for the squad and something that "any team would envy halfway through the season." Midfielders like Grigoris Kastanos echoed these sentiments, calling the club’s journey a “marathon of 38 matches, often uphill,” underscoring the squad’s unity and resilience.

On the pitch, young defenders including Coppola and Ghilardi were praised for their key contributions, providing defensive stability in must-win fixtures. Domagoj Bradarić was noted for scoring the goal that ultimately confirmed the club's top-flight status. The collective composure in high-stakes matches set Verona apart as rivals faltered.

Financially, Verona’s 14th-place finish will bring in around €2.2 million in prize money—useful resources but modest compared to Serie A's heavyweights. The summer promises to be significant as the Presidio Investors ownership group evaluates the next steps: potential reinforcements, addressing disciplinary issues, and outlining a clearer long-term vision. Incidents of pyrotechnic use in the stands and individual suspensions late in the year illustrate the ongoing need for discipline on both sides of the touchline.

While the record for consecutive Serie A campaigns—eight from 1982 to 1990—stands as a benchmark, the current run reflects a club that has rediscovered its staying power. For emerging talents such as Coppola, whose displays have earned recognition beyond the club, and for the supporters who underpinned the squad’s grit, Verona’s hard-fought survival breeds a cautious sense of optimism. With another year in the top division now confirmed, attention shifts to what steps the club will take to not only remain there but to aim higher.

Source: Hellaslive, Tutto Hellas Verona