Story perspectives

Italy Negotiates Guardiola or Ancelotti for Coach, £20 million Demand

7/23/2026

Summary

Guardiola Negotiations

Italy's football federation (FIGC) is negotiating with Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti to appoint a new head coach.
Technical director Paolo Maldini said the federation first approached Carlo Ancelotti before opening talks with Pep Guardiola.
FIGC president Giovanni Malagò said the federation hopes to announce the coach within the week.
Pep Guardiola reportedly demands £20 million per year, about double the FIGC’s current offer.

Summary

Maldini Shapes Strategy

An office inside Lega Serie A will coordinate strategy and calendars for all Italian football levels.
Paolo Maldini is technical director, a role that lets him shape ideas for the senior national team.
Leonardo called for a unified project linking senior, youth and academy teams to set common technical principles.
The federation will issue guidelines from academies upward to ensure player development and coaching, boosting technical skill and attacking initiative.

History

Historical Context

In 2006 Marcello Lippi guided Italy to its fourth World Cup, the first senior trophy since 1982, using a flexible 4-2-3-1 that let Totti and Pirlo coexist and a defence that conceded only two goals. The FIGC now pursues a high-profile manager—first Ancelotti, then Guardiola—while appointing Paolo Maldini as technical director to replicate Lippi’s unified structure.

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Guardiola Negotiations

Italy's football federation (FIGC) is negotiating with Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti to appoint a new head coach.
Technical director Paolo Maldini said the federation first approached Carlo Ancelotti before opening talks with Pep Guardiola.
FIGC president Giovanni Malagò said the federation hopes to announce the coach within the week.
Pep Guardiola reportedly demands £20 million per year, about double the FIGC’s current offer.

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