Italian FA confirms Guardiola talks, signals salary flexibility
FIGC president acknowledges discussions with Pep Guardiola over Italy head coach role, while Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo remain on the shortlist.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has confirmed that Pep Guardiola has held discussions regarding the position of Italy head coach. FIGC president Giovanni Malago acknowledged the talks in an interview with the digital sports platform Cronache di spogliatoio, indicating that the governing body is prepared to make financial exceptions to accommodate the Spanish manager’s salary demands. However, Malago cautioned that an appointment is not guaranteed to proceed.
Guardiola departed Manchester City in May after a decade-long tenure, during which he secured six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups, and the Champions League. His departure leaves the Italian national team in search of a new leader, having been without a head coach since Gennaro Gattuso resigned in April. Gattuso stepped down following the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup, marking the country’s third consecutive absence from the tournament.
Malago stated that while Guardiola fits the desired profile for the role, he is not the sole candidate under consideration. The FIGC is also evaluating former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to Euro 2020 victory, and Andrea Pirlo, who currently manages Dubai United. When asked if these three were the only options, Malago responded that the federation is considering a specific profile but is not limited to those names.
Fan sentiment appears to favour Guardiola, with a poll by La Gazzetta dello Sport identifying him as the top choice among supporters, securing 34 per cent of the vote. Antonio Conte followed with 19 per cent, while Mancini and Pirlo each received 17 per cent. Despite this popularity, Malago noted that the financial implications of hiring Guardiola, described as a name that is "so overbearing," require specific exceptions that were not fully detailed.
Italy has historically been managed by Italian coaches, with only two exceptions in its history: Hungarian Lajos Czeizler in the 1950s and Argentine Helenio Herrera in the following decade. Guardiola, who speaks fluent Italian and played in Serie A from 2001 to 2003, has never managed in the country. He previously described himself as "so tired" after leaving Manchester City, though he retained strong memories from his previous roles at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
