The rift between Paolo Maldini and Giovanni Malagò is detailed in the columns of Il Giornale, where Franco Ordine reveals some behind-the-scenes aspects of the affair. According to the journalist, a contradiction emerges in the statements of the CONI president: Malagò has always claimed not to have contacted anyone before June 22, but Maldini revealed he received the first call at Easter.

As for the surveys carried out for the new national team coach, even before proposing Pirlo, in addition to the courtesy call with Ancelotti, there was reportedly a trip to Barcelona to convince Guardiola. The Catalan coach is said to have shown interest, denying the story of the 20 million salary request. He allegedly said: “give me one euro less than the previous coach,” even going so far as to draw up the lineup, before giving up due to fatigue after ten years of English football.

Another element that emerged concerns the rejection of the candidacies of De Rossi and Grosso, which came from Malagò for electoral reasons. The aim was to avoid a dispute with two Serie A clubs that had supported him in the race for the FIGC presidency. Ordine wonders if those involved ever knew about the approval expressed by Maldini and Leonardo.

Two previously unknown details emerge from Maldini’s statements. The first: once appointed, the former defender spoke directly with some presidents, starting with Marotta, then moving on to Percassi and others. None of them ever explicitly asked him to focus on Conte. The fact that Maldini consulted the presidents directly, overlooking the president of the Serie A League Simonelli, reportedly caused some resentment in the latter.

The second detail concerns the prepared plan, which envisaged two tracks for Italian football: one aimed at bearing fruit over time (8-10 years as in Spain after the arrival of Cruyff), the other with the National Team entrusted to Pirlo, immediately engaged in the Nations League and in qualifying for the next European Championship. This distinction was apparently not grasped by the presidents, as shown by Cairo’s statement after the Milan meeting: “forget 8-10 years, here everything is decided in the first 100 days.”

The final break occurred when Malagò, according to Maldini’s account, changed the rules by establishing that he would choose the coach and the others would have to approve him. An unacceptable position for Maldini. The last complication arose over the choice of Bianchedi as head of delegation, who will have to work alongside Mancini and Oriali, respectively coach and team manager: a sort of slap in the face to Italian football, unable to produce a figure for that role which has always, historically, been an expression of the sector.

👉🏻 CONTINUE READING