Cesena FC announces that it has appointed Dr. Sandro Mencucci as Executive Director. The manager has signed a contract with the club through June 30, 2027.
Born in Florence and a qualified chartered accountant, Mencucci is one of the most experienced executives in Italian football. From 2002 to 2019, he served as CEO of ACF Fiorentina: working alongside the Della Valle ownership group, he led the Viola from their restart in Serie C2 to their return to Serie A in 2004, and then to Europe, with two appearances in the Champions League (2008–09 and 2009–10) and two continental semifinals—first in the UEFA Cup in 2007–08 and then in the Europa League in 2014–15.
In 2020, he began working for Leeds United, first in the Championship and then in the Premier League, joining the club’s board of directors.
Finally, from 2022 to 2026, Mencucci served as CEO of US Lecce, with the Giallorossi securing a promotion to Serie A and four consecutive top-flight survival seasons during his tenure.
“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Sandro Mencucci to Cesena,” said President Michael J. DeLuca Melby, “and I extend my best wishes for his success. He has proven his ability to develop clubs and projects, and I am certain that his experience will be invaluable as Cesena FC continues to strengthen and as everyone involved in the club grows.”
“I am extremely proud to join Cesena FC,” said the Bianconeri’s new Executive Director Sandro Mencucci, “and I thank President Melby, the entire Board of Directors, and all the shareholders for the trust they have placed in me. In these first few weeks, I’ve found people of great competence and professionalism, and that’s where we need to start. Cesena is one of the historic hubs of Italian football, and our goal is to build an increasingly solid club that reflects the genuine passion of its fans and the vision of the ownership.”
