Balotelli, a Brazil winger and the bid for Serie D promotion
After starting again from the bottom, on Sunday they will look to continue their rise in the Serie D play-offs - doing so with a former Brazil international in their side, one introduced to the club by Mario Balotelli. The club was effectively rescued by Sergio Pellissier, their top scorer, who founded his own club, Clivense, in 2021 and after promotion to Serie D acquired the historic Chievo Verona brand in May 2024. Pellissier remains honorary president and sporting director, leading the club alongside president Pietro Laterza, who also owns Al-Ittifaq, a Dubai-based club playing in the UAE second division and home to Balotelli.
The club's ambitions are considerable. Laterza and his staff have invested heavily in infrastructure, acquiring and renovating the Bottagisio training centre, as well as in the squad, which includes young prospects as well as former Serie A players Alberto Paloschi and Daniele Baselli. The icing on the cake, though, was the January signing of 35-year-old former Brazil, Bayern Munich and Juventus winger Douglas Costa.
"I was about to sign for a South American club and had invited Mario to spend some time with me at the beach in Brazil," Douglas Costa tells BBC Sport. "He told me he couldn't because he was travelling to Dubai, and then asked me whether I'd be interested in joining him in the UAE. "The foreign-player slot at Al-Ittifaq was already occupied, so they suggested I come here for six months to stay fit.
"I love Italy very much, so deciding to return was easy. On top of it, I scored a goal against Chievo with Juventus, so I had something to make up for and I want to help them get back into professional football. " Chievo Verona beat AC Milan's under-23 team to set up a Serie D Group B play-off final on Sunday The forward's career has at times been disrupted by injuries and off-field issues.
His contract at Sydney FC was mutually terminated , external in 2025 when he was unable to return to Australia because of a legal dispute over child maintenance in Brazil. However, he arrived in Verona with 24 trophies to his name - among them Bundesliga titles for Bayern and three successive Serie A crowns with Juventus, the most recent of those in 2020. "Young players need experience.