Banchi is an official at Armani Milan and also remains Italy's coach

Luca Banchi is the new coach of Armani Pallacanestro Milano, who has made Olimpia official, and will maintain the dual role as technical commissioner of the men's Italy team.

"I am honored to be able to return to coach Olimpia Milano - Banchi's first words on the club's website -, with a dutiful thank you to the owners, who thought I was the right person to lead the team in this particular moment, to president Petrucci, for having granted me the possibility of maintaining the role of coach of the national team. Obviously a sincere thought goes to my predecessor, Peppe Poeta, capable in such a short time of writing indelible pages in the history of a club of this caliber. Aware of the responsibilities that await me, I throw myself into this new chapter of my career with the enthusiasm and determination of someone who wants to be worthy of such a prestigious role."

Banchi will coach Olimpia from tomorrow and will make his debut with Zalgiris Kaunas on Thursday. He will miss the Euroleague match on the 24th against Asvel because he is busy with the national team: that week the Azzurri will in fact face Turkey in Rome on the 26th, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and Serbia in Belgrade on the 29th for the World Cup qualifiers.