On 2 October 2025, Andrea Antonelli returned to the FC Lugano Femminile bench, returning to an environment he knew very well and where he had made his mark in the 2020/21 season. It was a decision he had thought long and hard about, driven by the opportunity to work in a familiar and stimulating environment.
It was a very pleasant surprise, says Antonelli. I saw it as an opportunity to return to a place where I had enjoyed myself and where I had worked with serenity and enthusiasm. From there, a new journey began, marked by mixed results but also by steady growth, which today sees the girls occupying eighth place in the National League B, with a record that the coach describes without hesitation as positive, beyond the numbers.
Comparisons with the past are inevitable, but today's Lugano is profoundly different from what it was a few years ago. Whereas the team was then largely made up of players from abroad who were used to a professional environment, today's reality is that of a young group, mostly made up of girls who study or work. This change has required an adjustment in the way of working, but without affecting the quality of the environment: We worked well then, and we work well now.
This is an environment in which Antonelli feels completely at home, thanks to the experience he gained in the youth teams of AC Monza and FC Como Women. Those years allowed him to develop a daily routine of working with young people, which is also a key aspect of his current adventure with Juventus, given that FC Lugano Femminile now has the youngest squad in the entire league. I feel comfortable, he explains, we work with serenity and enthusiasm, knowing that young players may need a little more attention, but that's nothing new.
The coach then broadens his view to the movement as a whole, which is clearly growing. According to Antonelli, the Women's European Championship held in Switzerland last summer represented a real turning point, increasing attention, investment and visibility: You see matches on television, dedicated channels, facilities that are growing. It's a movement in full expansion, taking a step forward every year.
His career has also involved comparisons with men's football, particularly in youth teams and even within his own family, thanks to his daily contact with his brother Luca Antonelli, a former professional footballer who now works in the youth sector at ACF Fiorentina. They are in constant dialogue, which goes beyond the pitch and involves an exchange of experiences and opinions.
Behind the coach, however, there is also the man. Outside the Sports Centre, Andrea Antonelli leads a simple life, centred on family and everyday activities: I'm very much a homebody, I like to be with my son, follow him in his matches, do quiet things. This balance is also reflected in his approach to work, based first and foremost on the human aspect: empathy, collaboration, serenity. If you start from there, he emphasises, everything that comes after is easier to bring to the pitch.
Now that the winter break is over, attention returns to the pitch. On Friday 7 February, in Cornaredo, FC Lugano Femminile will resume their campaign against Étoile Carouge FC. The coach's feelings are positive, the result of weeks of intense and participatory work: The girls have come back with enthusiasm, they have worked with great seriousness and enthusiasm. I expect a good comeback, especially in terms of attitude and performance.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Antonelli is keeping his eyes firmly on the present, focusing on the daily work: I'm not looking too far ahead, he says, the goal now is to achieve what we have set ourselves together with the club. Then we'll see what happens.
It is a journey that continues in the spirit of continuity and daily work, with FC Lugano Femminile ready to return to the pitch on 7 February in Cornaredo.