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13th February 2025
03:36pm GMT
Alex Ferguson is set to return to the dugout, 12 years after retiring from management according to his former player.
The legendary manager retired from Manchester United in 2013 after 26 years in charge at Old Trafford after lifting 38 trophies with the team.
The 83-year-old will reportedly return to the technical area on March 22 to help coach a game in Florence.
Former Italy international Giuseppe Rossi has organised a farewell match to honour his retirement next month and has revealed Ferguson will be in the dugout.
Rossi has a close relationship with the Scotsman and confirmed he will feature in his farewell.
Rossi said: "Ferguson will be there as a coach. He was my first coach, I signed when I was 17.
"I only did three years with him and played little, but he immediately said yes and this shows what kind of person he is.
"I did little at United but he treats me like Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 1000 goals."
The ex-Fiorentina star's 'last dance' will take place at the Stadio Franchi Stadium and it has been dubbed 'Pepito Day'.
The 38-year-old found success in LaLiga which earned him the nickname 'Pepito Rossi', which was a nod to namesake Paolo Rossi.
Ferguson handed Rossi his debut in senior football at United in 2004 where he went on to score four goals in 14 appearances across all competitions.
He then departed on-loan to Newcastle and Parma between 2006 and 2007 before joining Villarreal on a permanent deal in 2007.
Here, he enjoyed his most successful spell scoring 82 goals and provided 25 assists in 192 appearances.
He then played for Fiorentina between 2013 and 2017 and enjoyed loan spells at Levante and Celta.
The Italian announced on Wednesday that many of his ex-Fiorentina team-mates and some Serie A legends would play in the farewell game.
It's not the first time Ferguson has ventured out of retirement for a special occasion. In 2019, the Scottish manager oversaw United legend's 1999 reunion match against Bayern Munich legends at Old Trafford.
On that occasion David Beckham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Dwight Yorke, Nicky Butt and Louis Saha got on the scoresheet as the home side won 5-0.
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