Genoa have reshaped the leadership of their sporting department, bringing Diego López’s short spell as Chief of Football to an end and preparing a new structure around François Modesto and Stefano Melissano.
A change at the top of Genoa’s football department
- Genoa confirmed that López has left his role as Chief of Football less than a year after arriving at the club.
- The Rossoblù thanked the Spanish executive for his commitment, professionalism and work on the development of the various areas within the sporting structure.
- François Modesto has been selected to take over the senior football role. He previously worked as technical director at both Monza and Juventus.
- Stefano Melissano will work alongside Modesto after recently ending his contract with Spezia, where he had served as sporting director from 2022 to 2026.
The decision marks another important administrative step for Genoa as the club continues to define its direction beyond the pitch. López’s departure closes a brief tenure in which he was responsible for the technical area, while the arrival of Modesto and Melissano gives the club a new pair of experienced figures from within Italian football.
Modesto and Melissano form the new structure
Modesto brings experience from two markedly different Serie A environments. His previous work at Monza and Juventus gives Genoa a football executive familiar with both squad planning and the wider demands of a top-flight club.
Melissano, meanwhile, joins after four years at Spezia. His recent exit from the Ligurian side has allowed Genoa to add him to the new set-up, strengthening the club’s sporting operation with another director who knows the regional football landscape.
Genoa’s message for López was respectful and clear: the club recognised the effort he put into the technical department and wished him well in the next stage of his career. The focus now turns to how Modesto and Melissano will shape the Rossoblù’s football planning in the months ahead.
