Malagò: Guardiola wages an exception for Italy budget, but no guarantee

Giovanni Malagò, President of the FIGC, confirmed that Pep Guardiola's wages as Italy's coach would be considered "an exception" to the budget. However, he cautioned that "there's no guarantee this will go through" as there are other candidates being considered. Over the last 48 hours, reports surged regarding Italy technical director Paolo Maldini and his advisor Leonardo flying to Barcelona for talks with Guardiola. They made a concerted effort to convince the former Manchester City manager to lead the Nazionale.

Initially, it was believed that the cost of Guardiola's salary would rule him out of consideration, but Malagò opened the door for potential discussions. He stated, "There are certain financial aspects to be considered, and it’s an understatement to say we’d have to grit our teeth for this. Some exceptions have been made, for example exceptions that regard the name making such waves at the moment: Pep Guardiola. I don’t need to sit here and explain the obvious reasons why he’d be an exception, but that is also no guarantee that this will go through."

Maldini and Leonardo's visit to Guardiola signifies the serious approach Italy is taking regarding their managerial search. Malagò emphasized that it was important to maintain an open dialogue. Meanwhile, Antonio Conte, currently coaching Napoli, stated that he had not been contacted for the Italy position. This raises the question of whether the Federation is considering candidates with different coaching philosophies.

Malagò clarified that the list of potential managers is not restricted to Guardiola, Andrea Pirlo, and Roberto Mancini. He suggested they are considering a specific profile, and those names are just part of that broader category.