ing ▁a ▁one - year ▁contract ▁extension ▁with ▁the ▁Sic ilian ▁club . ▁ ▁Cat ania ' s ▁playing ▁style ▁under ▁Z eng a ▁was ▁notable ▁for ▁the ▁coach ' s ▁focus ▁on ▁free ▁kick ▁planning ; ▁his ▁assistant ▁manager ▁Gian ni ▁V io ▁is ▁known ▁to ▁work ▁exclus ively ▁on ▁this ▁particular ▁side ▁of ▁football ▁tact ics ▁during ▁the ▁week ly ▁training ▁sessions . ▁He ▁gu ided ▁Cat ania ▁to ▁a ▁mid - table ▁finish ▁and ▁the ▁Serie ▁A ▁points ▁record ▁for ▁the ▁eastern ▁Sic ilian ▁side ; ▁at ▁the ▁final ▁home ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁he ▁announced ▁he ▁was ▁part ing ▁company ▁with ▁his ▁club ▁by ▁mut ual ▁consent . ▁ ▁Pal ermo ▁On ▁ 5 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁after ▁being ▁linked ▁with ▁the ▁manager ial ▁job ▁at ▁Laz io ▁it ▁was ▁revealed ▁that ▁Z eng a ▁had ▁agreed ▁a ▁three - year ▁contract ▁with ▁Pal ermo ▁to ▁replace ▁out going ▁manager ▁Dav ide ▁Ball ard ini ; ▁the ▁move ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁massive ▁surprise ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁Ros an ero ▁club ▁being ▁rum oured ▁to ▁be ▁interested ▁in ▁several ▁other ▁man agers ▁and ▁the ▁bitter ▁rival ry ▁between ▁them ▁and ▁Cat ania , ▁the ▁only ▁two ▁Sic ilian ▁teams ▁playing ▁in ▁the ▁Italian ▁top ▁flight . ▁He ▁deb uted ▁with ▁a ▁ 4 – 2 ▁Coppa ▁Italia ▁win ▁over ▁SP AL ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁and ▁a ▁ 2 – 1 ▁home ▁win ▁against ▁Napoli ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁week ▁of ▁the ▁Serie ▁A