Giovanni Carnevali
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Giovanni Carnevali | ||
| Date of birth | 19 November 1960 | ||
| Place of birth | Milan, Italy | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 2014–2026 | Sassuolo (CEO and general manager) | ||
| 2026– | Juventus (CEO and general manager) | ||
Giovanni Carnevali (born 19 November 1960) is an Italian football executive who is the chief executive officer and general manager of Juventus.
After a career as a player and amateur club owner in the 1980s, Carnevali worked in management roles at Monza, Pavia, Como and Ravenna, before founding the sports marketing company Master Group Sport in 1996. He served as chief executive and general manager of Sassuolo from 2014 to 2026, where he became known for his player-trading strategy, before being appointed to the same roles at Juventus in June 2026.
Early life and career
Born in Milan on 19 November 1960, Carnevali played in his youth for Pro Sesto and Solbiatese. In the 1980s, together with his father Augusto and a scout, he bought the amateur club Milanese, where he first worked alongside future executive Ariedo Braida.[1]
Also in the 1980s, Carnevali met Giuseppe Marotta, with whom he worked at Monza for three years. He then served as general manager of Pavia, before joining the management of Como and later Ravenna between 1990 and 1993.[2][3]
Master Group Sport
In 1996, Carnevali founded Master Group Sport, a sports marketing and events company that has worked in partnership with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), among others. He serves as the company's chief executive officer.[4][5]
Sassuolo
In the summer of 2014, Sassuolo owner Giorgio Squinzi appointed Carnevali as chief executive officer and general manager of the club.[6]
His tenure was defined by a corporate strategy centred on player trading. Through extensive scouting and the subsequent sale of players including Davide Frattesi, Gianluca Scamacca and Manuel Locatelli, the club generated hundreds of millions of euros in capital gains.[7][8][9]
On the sporting side, under his leadership the club from Emilia-Romagna retained its place in Serie A for nine consecutive seasons,[5] qualifying for the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League in the 2015–16 season, before being relegated at the end of the 2023–24 season. The club returned to Serie A the following season. Among the most notable developments during Carnevali's tenure was the inauguration in 2019 of the Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore, a multifunctional training facility.[10]
Juventus
On 12 June 2026, Carnevali was appointed chief executive officer and general manager of Juventus, replacing Damien Comolli.[11]
References
- ↑ "Carnevali: 'Il calciomercato mi suscita emozione'". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). 4 June 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Il senso di Carnevali per gli affari". Rivista Undici (in Italian). 28 August 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "La Juventus a Carnevali, chi è il nuovo ad scelto da Elkann per sostituire Comolli". Eurosport (in Italian). 11 June 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ Cioffi, Dario (3 March 2026). "Master Group Sport è il nuovo official advisor della Federazione Italiana Scherma". Federscherma (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- 1 2 Cosentini, Luca (11 June 2026). "Chi è Giovanni Carnevali, l'AD del Sassuolo in pole per sostituire Comolli alla Juve". Calcio e Finanza (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Giovanni Carnevali, l'anima del Sassuolo: il passato, la rinascita e il futuro neroverde". TuttoMercatoWeb (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Giovanni Carnevali Sassuolo chi è: la storia del deus ex machina neroverde". Sassuolo News (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ Fogliani, Stefano (20 August 2023). "Macchina da soldi. Plusvalenze per 460 milioni". Il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ Cappello, Michele (24 July 2022). "Sassuolo, la macchina delle plusvalenze: Scamacca record". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Inaugurato il Mapei Center. Squinzi: 'Obiettivo Champions'". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 10 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Giovanni Carnevali nominato nuovo amministratore delegato e direttore generale del club" (in Italian). Juventus FC. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.