The search for a new coach by the Italian national team took a turbulent turn on Monday (27). According to Sky Sport, the technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Paolo Maldini, and consultant Leonardo resigned from their positions. two weeks after hiring.
The duo's departure reportedly occurred after the organization's president, Giovanni MalagoThe club blocked the hiring of Andrea Pirlo to manage the team. The reason, according to the broadcaster, was the former midfielder's contract with Fonbet. Russia's biggest betting house.
The plan fell apart.
The FIGC announced Maldini and Leonardo two weeks ago with the mission of leading the selection of the next coach for the four-time world champion national team. The first attempt was Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil's coach, who has a contract until the 2030 World Cup.
Then, the pair searched Pep GuardiolaHowever, the Spaniard preferred not to work at the moment in order to spend more time with his family. The third option was... Pirlo, which would be officially announced this Tuesday (28), until the veto attributed to Malagò.
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With this decision, Maldini and Leonardo reportedly felt slighted by the president of FIGC and resigned from their positions.
Pressure on Malagò
The crisis is increasing uncertainty about the future of Italy, which has not competed in a World Cup since 2014 in Brazil. It is also increasing the pressure on Malagò, elected president of the FIGC in June with the status of "savior" of Italian football, after praised stints at the country's Olympic committee (CONI) and the organization of the Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
Questioned on Monday morning, the manager promised "news" for Tuesday, without mentioning names. The Italian-Brazilian Thiago MottaFormer Bologna and Juventus coach Roberto Mancini has emerged as a potential candidate, alongside Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini.
Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi stated that the FIGC needs to recover from the "embarrassment" in negotiations with Pirlo. The former player, in turn, lamented on Instagram that his partnership with Fonbet had been interpreted as support for Russia in the war against Ukraine and thanked Leonardo and Maldini for their "esteem and trust," without mentioning Malagò. (With information from ANSA)
