Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malago has confirmed that the governing body is in negotiations with Pep Guardiola regarding the vacant head coach position. Despite Italy’s traditional preference for domestic managers, Malago stated that financial “exceptions” could be made to secure the former Manchester City boss for the national team.
Federation Confirms High-Level Talks
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is actively pursuing Pep Guardiola to lead the men’s national team, according to federation president Giovanni Malago. The search for a new head coach has been a priority since Gennaro Gattuso resigned in April following the country’s failure to qualify for a third World Cup in a row.
Reports of contact between the FIGC and the 55-year-old manager first surfaced via Sky Italia earlier this week. Malago later confirmed the discussions during an interview with the digital sports platform Cronache di spogliatoio, acknowledging that the federation is prepared to break from its typical financial structure to accommodate the high-profile coach.
“[Financial] Exceptions have been made, exceptions that for example may concern the name that is so overbearing in these hours: Pep Guardiola. Exceptions for obvious reasons that I am not here to explain, but it is not certain that this thing will go through.”
Giovanni Malago, Italian Football Federation president
The Search for a New Azzurri Manager
While Guardiola remains a central focus, he is not the only name under consideration for the role. The federation is weighing multiple profiles to fill the vacancy left by Gattuso. Among those also being considered are former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini—who led the team to victory at Euro 2020—and current Dubai United manager Andrea Pirlo.
When pressed on whether the shortlist was limited to these three prominent figures, Malago indicated that the search remains open to other qualified candidates.
“Absolutely not. We think about a certain profile and certainly these names fall into that category.”
Giovanni Malago, Italian Football Federation president
Guardiola’s Potential Return to Italian Football
Should an agreement be reached, it would mark a swift return to the sidelines for Guardiola, who concluded his tenure at Manchester City this past May. His 10-year stint in England was marked by significant success, including six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups, and a Champions League trophy.
Despite his extensive success at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, Guardiola has never managed a club in Italy. However, he maintains strong ties to the country, having played in Serie A from 2001 to 2003 with stints at Brescia and Roma. He is also fluent in Italian, a factor that could facilitate his transition to the national team role.
The prospect of his appointment follows a period of exhaustion for the manager, who expressed his fatigue upon leaving Manchester City. At the time of his departure, he stated, I am so tired. Seriously, I am so tired.
Historically, the Italian men’s national team has rarely looked abroad for leadership. Throughout its history, the team has been managed by Italian coaches with only two exceptions: Hungarian Lajos Czeizler, who served on a technical committee in the 1950s, and Argentine Helenio Herrera, who acted as a joint manager in the following decade. Whether the federation ultimately decides to make the financial and structural exceptions necessary to bring in Guardiola remains uncertain, as Malago cautioned that the dialogue is ongoing and not a finalized outcome.
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