Italy National Team: Antonio Conte’s Move Changes Everything. Capello Doesn’t Forgive Mancini

These are crucial days for the decision on the new head coach of the Italian national team: after being elected president of the FIGC, Giovanni Malagò has taken a few days to make the final choice. While Roberto Mancini’s name seemed to be at the top of the list in recent weeks, Antonio Conte is now the clear favorite to take the helm of the Azzurri.

According to reports in *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, the Lecce-born coach is reportedly willing to take a pay cut from the 8 million euros net he earned over the past two seasons as Napoli’s head coach. The contract is the only obstacle standing between Conte and his return to the national team: the Salento-born coach also has the backing of most Serie A clubs and the Lega Calcio.

Malagò first wants to formalize the role of technical director: if Paolo Maldini declines, the choice could fall on two other former Milan players, Demetrio Albertini and Frederic Massara. Mancini is still paying the price for his “escape” to Saudi Arabia, which annoyed several insiders.

Among them is Fabio Capello, who once again expressed his concerns about the matter in an interview with *La Gazzetta dello Sport*: “He gave us the dream of the European Championship, but his departure from the national team is unforgivable. Conte is the best fit right now; I see his grueling and suffocating training sessions as a bit difficult to adapt for the national team, but it would be right to start from the bottom, by working hard during a difficult time.”