Cesena FC

Cesena
Full name	Cesena Football Club
Nicknames	I Cavallucci Marini (The Seahorses) ; I Bianconeri (The White and Blacks)
Founded	1940; 86 years ago as A.C Cesena ; 2018; 8 years ago as Cesena Football Club
Ground	Orogel Stadium - Dino Manuzzi
Capacity	20,194
Chairman	John Aiello ; Mike Melby ; Anthony Scotto
Head coach	Ashley Cole
League	Serie B
2025–26	Serie B, 11th of 20
Website	cesenafc.com
	Current season

Cesena Football Club is an Italian professional football club based in Cesena, Emilia-Romagna. It currently plays in the Serie B, after promotion from the Serie C in 2023–24. It has claimed to be the phoenix club of AC Cesena since 2018, the year that the club folded.

History

Foundation

In July 2018 A.S.D. Romagna Centro, or known as Romagna Centro, applied to rename as "Cesena F.C.", as a phoenix club of A.C. Cesena.^[2]

Serie D

After going bankrupt in 2018, the Associazione Calcio Cesena restarted its activities the following year with a new club called Cesena Football Club. It restarted from Serie D, immediately winning its first championship, and thus rising to Serie C in the 2018–19 season.

They then played five championships in Serie C, from 2019–20 to 2023–24, the year in which he won the Serie C championship, in group B, thus returning to Serie B exactly six years after bankruptcy. In the 2024–25 season he will therefore play his 33rd Serie B championship

Cesena F.C.

In July 2018, after the bankruptcy of the main football team of the city, A.C. Cesena, a group of local businessmen acquired Romagna Centro and proposed to rename it to Cesena F.C., to act as a phoenix club. However, the image rights of A.C. Cesena were acquired later.^[3] The club played a friendly match against Romanian club Universitatea Cluj in 2018–19 pre-season.^[4] In July 2018, Romagna Centro announced that the youth sector would train with former A.C. Cesena players.^[5] However, the club was later known as Cesena F.C., and was assigned to Group F of 2018–19 Serie D.^[6]

The club was renamed Cesena Football Club.

In the 2019–20 season, the club competed in the Serie C's Girone B.

In 2023–24 season, Cesena secured promotion to the following season's Serie B as Serie C Girone B champion.

Recent seasons

Season	Division	Tier	Pos	Pl	W	D	L	+	-	P	Cup	Note
as AC Cesena
2016–17	Serie B	II	13	42	12	17	13	51	48	53	Quarterfinals
2017–18	Serie B	II	13	42	11	17	14	55	61	50	3rd round	Folded post-season due to bankruptcy. Cesena FC, a phoenix club, was admitted to Serie D
as Cesena FC
2018–19	Serie D (Group F)	IV	↑ 1	38	25	8	5	70	29	83	–	Promoted to Serie C
2019–20	Serie C (Group B)	III	13	27	7	9	11	33	42	30	–
2020–21			7	38	15	12	11	51	42	57	–	Eliminated in the Promotion play-offs 1/16-finals to Matelica
2021–22			3	38	18	13	7	53	31	67	–	Eliminated in the Promotion play-offs 1/8-finals to Monopoli
2022–23			2	38	23	10	5	66	24	79	–	Eliminated in the Promotion play-offs semifinals to Lecco
2023–24			↑ 1	38	30	6	2	80	19	96	1st round	Promoted to Serie B
2024–25	Serie B	II	7	38	14	11	13	46	47	53	Round of 16	Eliminated in the Promotion play-offs quarterfinals to Catanzaro
2025–26	Serie B	II	11	38	12	10	16	45	56	46	1st round

Colours and badge

The current shirt colors are black and white, so that the nickname of the club is "bianconeri".

Stadiums

The club play their home matches in Stadio Dino Manuzzi,^[7]^[8] the larger stadium in the city.

The stadium is quite famous in Italy, and has also hosted some Euro 2019 U-21 matches, charity matches and some other events like concerts, as of Rockin'1000

Honours

Leagues

Serie C: 2023–24
Serie D: 2018–19

Current squad

As of 5 February 2026^[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	ITA	Alessandro Siano
4	MF	ITA	Michele Castagnetti
6	MF	ITA	Tommaso Arrigoni
7	FW	ITA	Alberto Cerri
8	MF	ITA	Gaetano Castrovilli
9	FW	ALB	Cristian Shpendi
10	MF	ITA	Simone Bastoni
11	MF	ITA	Riccardo Ciervo (on loan from Sassuolo)
14	MF	ITA	Tommaso Berti
15	DF	ITA	Andrea Ciofi (captain)
16	DF	SWE	Peter Amoran (on loan from Parma)
18	DF	ITA	Matteo Guidi
19	DF	ITA	Giovanni Zaro
22	FW	ALB	Giacomo Vrioni


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
23	DF	ITA	Vittorio Magni
24	DF	ITA	Massimiliano Mangraviti
25	MF	ITA	Dimitri Bisoli
26	DF	ITA	Matteo Piacentini
27	DF	ITA	Tommaso Corazza (on loan from Bologna)
32	FW	ITA	Marco Olivieri
33	GK	USA	Jonathan Klinsmann
35	MF	ITA	Davide Zamagni
39	GK	ITA	Niccolò Fontana
40	GK	ITA	Luca Ferretti
70	MF	ITA	Matteo Francesconi
77	FW	ALB	Frederik Tosku
99	DF	ITA	Gianluca Frabotta

Cesena Primavera

As of 22 August 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
34	DF	ITA	Simone Abbondanza
48	GK	ITA	Simone Gianfanti


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
75	FW	ITA	Filippo Galvagno

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	ROU	Antonio David (at Inter U23 until 30 June 2026)
—	DF	ITA	Simone Pieraccini (at Catania until 30 June 2026)
—	DF	ITA	Giulio Manetti (at Forlì until 30 June 2026)
—	DF	ITA	Enea Pitti (at Carpi until 30 June 2026)
—	DF	ITA	Federico Valentini (at Sammaurese until 30 June 2026)
—	MF	ITA	Giacomo Calò (at Frosinone until 30 June 2026)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	ITA	Riccardo Campedelli (at Bra until 30 June 2026)
—	MF	ITA	Gianmarco Castorri (at Foggia until 30 June 2026)
—	MF	ITA	Alessandro Giovannini (at Forlì until 30 June 2026)
—	FW	ITA	Valentino Coveri (at Forlì until 30 June 2026)
—	FW	ITA	Giovanni Perini (at Arzignano until 30 June 2026)
—	FW	ITA	Roberto Ogunseye (at Giugliano until 30 June 2026)

Technical staff

As of 15 March 2026^[10]

Position	Staff
Head coach	Ashley Cole
Assistant coach	Jack Mesure Omer Riza
Athletic coach	Giorgio D'Urbano
Goalkeeping coach	Federico Agliardi
Assistant athletic coach	Luca Lancioni Filippo Medda
Technical assistants	Massimo Magrini Paolo Stringara Nicola Capellini
Team manager	Matteo Visani
Club manager	Alberto Santarelli
Referee caretaker	Fiorenzo Treossi
Head of medical staff	Giorgio Gandolfi
First team doctors	Antonio Argentoni Gianluigi Sella
Physiotherapists	Costantino Cucciniello Francesco Canali Stefano Valentini
Nutritionist	Michela Lantignotti

References

↑ "LA SOCIETÀ" (in Italian). Cesena FC. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
↑ "Scelta la cordata di Pubblisole, nasce la nuova avventura del "Cesena FC"". Cesena Today (in Italian). 23 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
↑ "Scelta la cordata di Pubblisole, nasce la nuova avventura del "Cesena FC"". Cesena Today (in Italian). 23 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
↑ "Studenții în Italia. "U" a făcut scor cu cei de la Romagna Centro: 8-1. Sâmbătă întâlnim Perugia!" (Press release) (in Romanian). FC Universitatea Cluj. 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
↑ "COMUNICATO SETTORE GIOVANILE" (Press release) (in Italian). A.S.D. Romagna Centro Cesena. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
↑ "Gironi 2018/2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. 30 August 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
↑ "Romagna Centro-Piacenza anticipata a sabato 21 febbraio". Sport Piacenza (in Italian). 16 February 2015. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
↑ "Il Romagna Centro per rafforzare il vivaio del Cesena: accordo fatto". Cesena Today (in Italian). 4 July 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
↑ "Cesena Prima Squadra". Cesena FC (in Italian). Retrieved 26 October 2024.
↑ "Staff Tecnico" (in Italian). Cesena FC. Archived from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.

External links

Official website (in Italian)

[1] "LA SOCIETÀ" (in Italian). Cesena FC. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.

[2] "Scelta la cordata di Pubblisole, nasce la nuova avventura del "Cesena FC"". Cesena Today (in Italian). 23 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2018.

[3] "Scelta la cordata di Pubblisole, nasce la nuova avventura del "Cesena FC"". Cesena Today (in Italian). 23 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2018.

[4] "Studenții în Italia. "U" a făcut scor cu cei de la Romagna Centro: 8-1. Sâmbătă întâlnim Perugia!" (Press release) (in Romanian). FC Universitatea Cluj. 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.

[5] "COMUNICATO SETTORE GIOVANILE" (Press release) (in Italian). A.S.D. Romagna Centro Cesena. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.

[6] "Gironi 2018/2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. 30 August 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.

[7] "Romagna Centro-Piacenza anticipata a sabato 21 febbraio". Sport Piacenza (in Italian). 16 February 2015. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.

[8] "Il Romagna Centro per rafforzare il vivaio del Cesena: accordo fatto". Cesena Today (in Italian). 4 July 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2018.

[9] "Cesena Prima Squadra". Cesena FC (in Italian). Retrieved 26 October 2024.

[10] "Staff Tecnico" (in Italian). Cesena FC. Archived from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.

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