CT Italia: A Last-Minute Effort and a New Name to Save Maldini. Malagò: “Let’s see who made a fool of themselves.”
Just three days have passed since the press conference featuring FIGC President Giovanni Malagò, new technical director Paolo Maldini, and advisor Leonardo, during which the pursuit of Pep Guardiola was made official and the foundations of the new Azzurri project were laid. In three days, everything has changed: after Pep Guardiola turned down the offer, Andrea Pirlo’s candidacy fell through due to controversy over a Russian sponsor, and the situation has spiraled out of control for President Malagò. Paolo Maldini himself is reportedly on the verge of leaving. Speaking to *Il Sole 24 Ore*, Malagò issued a brief statement on the matter.
“The head coach? Since this morning, I’ve been receiving a lot of messages. I’ll speak with everyone as soon as possible, as is only right. To restore our competitive credibility at the top level—where nothing can be taken for granted—we need to work with young players who are currently between 13 and 16 years old. That’s why we need to overhaul the entire system in terms of training and culture—and that includes the head coach. It’s a matter of laying the groundwork; our ideas are very clear. We’re doing this, even amid countless challenges, because a transformation is needed. We must take into account that we are no longer a soccer-centric country.”
Upon leaving the Italian Football Federation, Malagò then responded sharply to criticism from Sports Minister Abodi, who had spoken of “making a bad impression”: “We’ll have to see who actually made the bad impression.” He remained silent when asked about Paolo Maldini.
A meeting between Malagò, Maldini, and Leonardo is scheduled for later today to determine how to proceed. According to the latest rumors reported by *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, the president is making a last-ditch effort to salvage the situation: a new name is reportedly on the table—that of Thiago Motta. The appointment of the former Juventus coach and former Italian national team player could fit the profile outlined by Maldini and Leonardo. Motta is skilled at working with young players, is familiar with the Coverciano environment, and would embrace the soccer philosophy envisioned by the new technical director. This last-minute rescue effort is also intended to avoid making a “fool of themselves,” a risk that looms right at the start of a new era in Italian soccer.
