On 23 June 2016, Nicola was appointed manager of Serie A newcomers Crotone.Nicola promised to ride a bicycle from Crotone to his home in Turin if they avoided relegation. Crotone finished in 17th place, two points above the relegation zone, and ahead of Empoli on the final matchday of the season, in what was hailed as a football miracle, as Crotone had collected only nine points in the whole first half of the season. Fulfilling the promise, Nicola rode 1300 km from Crotone to Turin on a bicycle.

On 15 February 2022, Nicola was appointed as the new head coach of Serie A relegation-battling club Salernitana until the end of the season. Under Nicola's tenure, Salernitana obtained 18 points in the remaining 15 matches and avoided relegation, another escape hailed as a miracle by the media.

Zebras wrote: ↑23 Apr 2024, 11:12Per paskutinius 5 metus - penki skirtingi čempionai.

For the first time since 1967-1972, a different manager has won Serie A for six consecutive campaigns:

◉ 2019 - Max Allegri (Juventus)
◉ 2020 - Maurizio Sarri (Juventus)
◉ 2021 - Antonio Conte (Inter)
◉ 2022 - Stefano Pioli (Milan)
◉ 2023 - Luciano Spalletti (Napoli)
◉ 2024 - Simone Inzaghi (Inter)

For Sarri, Pioli, Spalletti and Inzaghi, it was their first-ever Scudetto.

For Sarri, Pioli and Inzaghi, it was their first-ever league title.

Zebras wrote: ↑04 Aug 2020, 11:52Sakyčiau šįkart per statistiką surinktas sezono XI-ukas yra netoli realybės. Daugiausiai abejonių kelia Cuadrado, kuris įdėtas už darbą puolime, bet paėmus kontekstui žaidimą užpakaliu gynyboje, vargu ar ten patektų.