Malago confirms communication with Guardiola

Italian Football Federation President Giovanni Malagò confirmed today that he is in constant contact with legendary Spanish manager Pep Guardiola, who could take charge of the Italian national team.

When asked on X about the possibility of increasing the budget allocated for hiring a new coach for the four-time World Cup champions if it concerned “a name that has been widely discussed in recent hours, namely Guardiola,” Malagò responded affirmatively.

He stated, “Yes, and this is an exception for obvious reasons, which I will not explain here, but it is not guaranteed that this will lead to a positive outcome. Nevertheless, I believe it was fair and important to open and maintain a dialogue.”

The president, elected in June, added, “This in no way means disrespect for the other candidates; on the contrary, discussions about them have already begun.”

Malagò also confirmed that the federation’s choices are not limited to the three most frequently mentioned names—Andrea Pirlo, the 2006 World Cup winner, Roberto Mancini, and Guardiola—for the position.

Italy, a four-time World Cup champion and two-time European champion, failed to qualify for the World Cup this year for the third consecutive time. Guardiola, 55, left his post as manager of English club Manchester City after a decade during which he led the team to win 20 titles.