2023-08-20 02:43:15
End of suspense. According to the Gazzetta dello sport, Luciano Spalletti, number 1 choice of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), will sign a three-year contract, i.e. until September 2026. He succeeds on the bench of the Nazionale to Roberto Mancini who had resigned to everyone’s surprise just a few days ago. In office since May 2018, the latter had put Italy back on top of Europe with the continental title in 2021. His choice would have been motivated by many changes within the selection. He could quickly take over the selection of Saudi Arabia.
The discussions therefore did not drag out between the Federation and Luciano Spalletti who, after several telephone conversations, gave his agreement to Gabriele Gravina, president of the FIGC. The two men are due to meet this Friday to finalize the contract.
After his appointment, which could be formalized on Saturday, Spalletti should hold his first press conference on Monday as coach, reports the sports daily.
Crowned Italian champion with Naples in May, Spalletti, 64, then announced that he was leaving his post as Napoli coach. He will be responsible for reviving the selection which, despite its European title in 2021, failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He will only have a few days to prepare for two already crucial matches for the Nazionale if they want to qualify for Euro 2024, on September 9 in North Macedonia and against Ukraine, in Milan, three days later.
Negotiations with Spalletti were complicated by the existence in his contract which still binds him with Napoli, until June 2024, of a clause providing for the payment of compensation of three million euros to allow him to accept a new post. The president and owner of Naples Aurelio De Laurentiis warned the FIGC that he would not waive this compensation which decreases by 250,000 euros each month for “a question of principle”. On this issue, reports the Gazzetta dello sport, the FIGC is exploring legal remedies.
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