East Asia China

Fabio Cannavaro back for second spell as Guangzhou Evergrande coach

Guangzhou Evergrande have turned to a familiar face to take charge of the team after re-appointing Fabio Cannavaro as coach on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old Italian tactician will assume his duties in the next season and succeeds Luiz Felipe Scolari, who stepped down after the seventh consecutive Chinese Super League’s triumph.

Cannavaro returns for a second spell in charge of the Southern China Tigers after after leaving the team in June 2015.

The World Cup winner then took over at Tianjin Quanjian at the start of 2016, guiding them to the Chinese League One title before securing third place in the CSL this season and an AFC Champions League berth.

“After discussion, we have decided to appoint Fabio Cannavaro as the head coach of Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club,” read an official statement.

Cannavaro will be tasked with clinching the club’s eighth successive CSL title next season as well as winning the treble.

“Our target next year is to claim the club’s eighth successive title and the treble. We want to win the CSL, the AFC Champions League and the FA Cup,” said the club’s owner Xu Jiayin.