Paolo Bianco will make his competitive debut as Monza's head coach when his team hosts Frosinone in the 1/32 finals of the Italian Cup on Sunday, August 17. The match kicks off at 21:00 local time at the Brianteo stadium, marking the first official game of the 2025-2026 season for both sides.
"This is an important opportunity to set the tone for our season after last year's disappointment," a club source revealed ahead of the upcoming fixture.
The home team enters this competition with fresh wounds from their recent relegation. Monza managed just three victories in 38 matches during their Serie A campaign last season, finishing at the bottom of the table. This poor performance led to the dismissal of former defender Alessandro Nesta from his coaching position, opening the door for Bianco's appointment.
Interestingly, there's a coaching carousel connecting these clubs. Bianco previously managed Frosinone before moving to Monza, while Massimiliano Alvini now leads the visitors after stints with Perugia, Cremonese, Cosenza, and Spezia.
Frosinone barely avoided relegation playoffs last season, finishing 15th in Serie B with just a one-point cushion above the danger zone. Their summer transfer activity has been modest, bringing in several players from lower leagues without suggesting any significant ambitions for the upcoming season.
The recent head-to-head record between these teams is perfectly balanced. Since 2022, they've met four times with each side claiming two victories. Their encounters typically produce goals – an average of four per game.
In last year's Italian Cup, "Monza" reached the round of 16 before suffering a heavy 0:4 defeat to Bologna. "Frosinone" had an even shorter cup run, getting eliminated immediately after losing 0:3 to Pisa.
Both clubs are considered outsiders in the tournament, with bookmakers offering odds of 151.00 for Monza to lift the trophy and 251.00 for Frosinone. Will either team defy these expectations and make a deeper cup run this season?
