Italy remains a reference point for the Albanian Football Association, for Armand Duka, as once again the head of Albanian football has decided to entrust the bench to an "azzurri" technician. Rolando Maran is Duka's chosen one to have Sylvinho on the red and black bench. Maran is not an unknown name in Italy, but he is a coach with a low profile since in his career he has mainly managed teams in Serie B.
His last adventure was at the helm of Brescia in the 2024/25 season. Brescia was also his first team as a professional coach in 2005. Maran has been without a team since July 2025, when he left Brescia. The 62-year-old coach has previously managed teams such as Pisa, Genoa and Cagliari.
In Serie A, for the first time, Maran led the Catania team in 2012, where he also set a record as he ended the season in eighth place, collecting 56 points in 38 matches. After Dosena, De Biasi, Edy Reja and Panucci, Maran is the fifth Italian coach to sit at the head of the Albanian Football Federation.
