Olimpia Milano, Poeta Fired: Luca Banchi Is Ready, But There’s One Hurdle

A shakeup at Olimpia Milano. Following the firing of Peppe Poeta—which came in the wake of yet another EuroLeague loss to Valencia—the Red-and-Whites have named Luca Banchi as their new head coach. And negotiations have reportedly reached a decisive turning point: the Tuscan coach has reportedly set aside his reservations and reached an agreement with the club on a contract running through 2028. The news has also been confirmed by ANSA.

This marks an important return for Banchi, who previously led Olimpia from 2013 to 2015, winning the club’s 26th league title in 2014 and bringing the national championship back to Milan after an 18-year wait. That experience left a positive impression on the red-and-white community and could now enter a new chapter.

However, this decision also involves a conflict with the Italian national team. Banchi is currently the head coach of the Italian national team, and, according to reports, he is expected to retain both positions. His agreement with the Italian Basketball Federation (Federbasket) provides for the possibility of a part-time role after his first year of full-time service.

The exact timing of his arrival in Milan has yet to be determined. The schedule presents some overlaps: on November 24, Olimpia will face Asvel on the road in the EuroLeague, while on November 26, Italy is scheduled to play Turkey at the PalaEur in Rome—a historic event marking the national team’s return to the capital. It is therefore possible that Banchi could join the team after the international break.

In the meantime, Marco Ramondino will lead the team on an interim basis, starting with Sunday’s game against Trento. The club’s goal is to turn the page after a very difficult start to the season: Olimpia has recorded just one win in its first ten EuroLeague games, with eight consecutive losses, despite the three trophies Poeta won between last season and the start of this one.