FC Crotone — 2016/17 season (overview)

FC Crotone (commonly Crotone) is an Italian football club based in Crotone, Calabria. The 2016/17 season was the club's first-ever appearance in Serie A, having earned promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2015/16 season.

• Head coach: Davide Nicola — appointed in June 2016. He led the team through their debut Serie A campaign, becoming widely praised for organizing a resilient, hard-working side.
• League: Serie A (2016/17) — Crotone finished 17th, narrowly avoiding relegation and securing top-flight survival on the final matchday.
• Key results:
  • Notable survival: Crotone stayed up after a dramatic final day, finishing ahead of Empoli and Palermo on head-to-head/goal difference criteria.
  • Memorable matches included hard-fought draws and occasional upset results against more established Serie A sides, reflecting the team's defensive organization and fighting spirit under Nicola.
• Playing style and strengths: Under Davide Nicola, Crotone were organized defensively, disciplined, and difficult to break down. They relied on quick transitions, set-pieces and strong team cohesion rather than star individual players.
• Home stadium: Stadio Ezio Scida, Crotone — relatively small venue compared to most Serie A grounds, with a passionate local fanbase that played a role in the club's resilience at home matches.
• Notable players (2016/17 squad examples):
  • Ante Budimir — forward, important for goals and hold-up play.
  • Riccardo D´Alessandro / Federico Ceccherini / Bruno Martella — defensive contributors and regulars (squad rotated across season).
  • Gian Marco Ferrari and Marco Firenze featured during the campaign among others; the squad mainly comprised lesser-known but hardworking professionals.
• Cup competitions: Coppa Italia participation in 2016/17 — Crotone competed but their primary objective that season was securing Serie A survival.
• Aftermath: Surviving the 2016/17 season established Crotone in the top division for a second consecutive season (2017/18) under continued management changes later on; Davide Nicola's work that season raised his profile as a coach capable of organizing underdog teams to punch above expectations.

Summary: The 2016/17 season was historic for Crotone as their first in Serie A. Davide Nicola, the head coach, shaped a compact, defensive team that achieved survival against the odds, with the club securing 17th place on the final day and earning considerable respect for their collective effort.