Rolando Maran is the Duke's choice 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 as 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 or Cagliari. In Serie A, for the first time, Maran managed 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 Panuçi, Maran is the fifth Italian coach to sit at the head of the Albanian Football Federation. Armand Duka, head of the FSHF, introduced the Italian coach at a special conference.
"We will make public the appointment of the new coach of the national team, who is on my right wing, Rolando Mara. At the same time, we close a cycle with the former coach Sylvinjo and his staff. I want to thank him on behalf of the federation, on my behalf. We laughed, we rejoiced with him. In football it can be considered normal that a cycle closes and a new one begins. In mutual respect, with Sylvinjo, we thought that this cycle should open a new phase.
"A coach who is not very young, like Rolando, but our objectives are clear. Our team has set the bar where it wants to be. The objectives are clear, we want to be part of the World Cup in 2030," he said.
