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Paolo Maldini has stepped down as technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) following the decision not to appoint Andrea Pirlo as Italy head coach. Italian skies
Both Maldini and his advisers, leonardoThe FIGC resigned just 16 days after formally announcing their appointment
The decision was made on Sunday after talking with him Andrea PirloMaldini and Leonardo, chosen to be head coach of Italy, will not go ahead due to concerns over his links to a Russian gambling firm.
Maldini and Leonardo were brought in to lead a massive shake-up at FIGC after the Azzurri missed out on World Cup qualification for the third consecutive tournament.
Pep Guardiola Also turned down the Italy head coach position, which has been vacant ever since Gennaro Gattuso departure
Pirlo’s Russian connections ruled him out of the Italy job
Andrea Pirlo is set to become Italy’s new head coach
Earlier on Monday, Pirlo announced that he was no longer in contention to become Italy’s next head coach. He was the leading candidate after Guardiola ruled himself out.
The former Azzurri midfielder, 47, is a global ambassador for Russian bookmaker Fonbet, which has drawn objections to his potential appointment from some FIGC officials and politicians because of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Pirlo, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, defended his involvement with the company in an Instagram post.
He posted: “After learning last night that I am no longer a candidate to lead the Italian national team, I believe it is my duty to clarify a few points.
“In the last few days I have witnessed with great bitterness the controversy that has arisen over my name and the possibility of taking over as head coach of the Italian national team.
“During my career, first as a football player and now as a coach, I have carried out my activities in full respect of the laws of the countries I have worked in and the contracts I have signed.”
He signed an ambassadorship deal with Fonbet in October and said the collaboration is exclusively commercial and sporting in nature.
“To impose a political meaning on such collaborations is to attribute convictions that I have never expressed and that do not belong to me,” added Pirlo, who currently manages UAE Pro League club United FC in Dubai.
Guardiola and Ancelotti were also in touch
FIGC met with Guardiola Trying to convince him to replace Gattuso and willing to make an exceptional adjustment to their budget to hire him.
Maldini and Leonardo met with Guardiola for three days, explaining their plans for the national team going forward.
In their discussions with Barcelona’s former Manchester City manager, Maldini and Leonardo presented an idea that went beyond simply offering him a coaching role.
In the FIGC’s view, Guardiola would have been the central figure of an ‘Azzurro project’ aimed at rebuilding Italian football on a firmer footing. Italy also failed to qualify for an extended World Cup this summer.
Pep Guardiola is not taking over as Italy head coach
It could have been a complete overhaul involving not only the senior national team but all other national teams. The Catalans are understood to have listened carefully to Maldini and Leonardo’s proposals.
But Guardiola rejected the offer for personal reasons outside of football Italian skies
Pirlo was set to end his contract with United FC before finalizing a deal to become Italy’s head coach.
Carlo Ancelotti According to Maldini, Guardiola has been approached before, but he has a contract with the Brazil national team.
