Gattuso to Coach Valencia for Next 2 Seasons

Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Fiorentina and Napoli at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, Italy, May 16, 2021. (LaPresse via AP)
Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Fiorentina and Napoli at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, Italy, May 16, 2021. (LaPresse via AP)
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Gattuso to Coach Valencia for Next 2 Seasons

Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Fiorentina and Napoli at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, Italy, May 16, 2021. (LaPresse via AP)
Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Fiorentina and Napoli at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, Italy, May 16, 2021. (LaPresse via AP)

Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso agreed to take charge of Spanish club Valencia on Thursday for the next two seasons.

The 44-year-old Gattuso replaced José Bordalás after he was fired last week despite having led Valencia to the Copa del Rey final in his single season in charge, The Associated Press said.

Gattuso is a former defensive midfielder who helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup and AC Milan win two Champions League titles. He has since had a coaching career in Italy, where he managed Milan and Napoli. His Napoli won the 2020 Italian Cup.

Gattuso arrives at a difficult time for the club based on Spain's eastern coast.

Valencia finished ninth in the Spanish league last season. The firing of Bordalás came a day after the club removed president Anil Murthy from his post following the leak of private conversations that made the club’s leadership look bad.

Large sectors of Valencia’s fans are angry with Singaporean owner Peter Lim for selling off its best players in recent seasons. Its supporters are hoping team leaders Carlos Soler and Goncalo Guedes stay put this offseason.



Riyadh Season Sponsors Partnership Between La Liga and Thmanyah

The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
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Riyadh Season Sponsors Partnership Between La Liga and Thmanyah

The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA

Riyadh Season has sponsored the signing of a partnership agreement in London between the Spanish football league -- La Liga -- and Thmanyah, the exclusive broadcaster of Saudi competitions and a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG). The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League.

The agreement was signed on Thursday on behalf of Riyadh Season by CEO of the General Entertainment Authority, Eng. Faisal bin Saeed Bafarat, on behalf of La Liga by President Javier Tebas, and on behalf of Thmanyah by its founder and CEO Abdulrahman Abumalih.

Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation Turki Alalshikh stated that Riyadh Season's sponsorship of the partnership reflects its ongoing efforts to establish a strong global presence.

He noted that Riyadh Season’s sponsorship of La Liga last year was a major milestone and that the new step continues the strategy of positioning Riyadh Season as a global brand across various sectors.

For his part, Javier Tebas expressed his enthusiasm about collaborating with Riyadh Season and Thmanyah to elevate the audiovisual production standards of the Saudi Pro League.

“We already enjoy a fruitful partnership and are building on a strong foundation, as the league’s audiovisual production is managed by highly qualified professionals. We will work alongside them to deliver even more exceptional broadcast experiences,” he said.

Tebas stressed that the partnership marks an important step in enhancing the international profile of Saudi football.

The partnership includes training programs aimed at developing the capabilities of local audiovisual production teams, ensuring gradual and sustainable knowledge transfer. It also involves cooperation in formulating a comprehensive strategy to combat digital piracy in the Kingdom, helping to protect entertainment and sports content.

The agreement reflects a strategic direction toward delivering a complete viewing experience that meets audience expectations both locally and internationally, while also boosting content quality and expanding the global reach of the Saudi Pro League.