The Federal Council accepted the reasons behind the choice, but not without tensions. The only dissenting voice came from the representatives of Serie A: Marotta stated that “no one is questioning Mancini but we are questioning the method,” calling for greater involvement in decision-making. This was reported by La Repubblica, explaining the reaction of those who had proposed Conte for the Italy bench.
The top division clubs were backing the other former Nerazzurri coach, but in the end supported the initial choice of FIGC president Giovanni Malagò. The decision to entrust the national team to Roberto Mancini, already a European Championship winner with the Azzurri after a previous spell with the national team, had been anticipated by the media as soon as Malagò’s candidacy for the FIGC presidency was made public.
According to La Repubblica, Malagò and Mancini are already “life companions” by direct admission of the FIGC president during the last Coppa Canottieri five-a-side football tournament. The match is now more complex: there is the one on the pitch, where Mancini and Ranieri cannot afford to make mistakes, and the political one, won for now by Malagò, who has managed to convince all components of Italian football of the soundness of his plan.
The alternative idea was to rely on Maldini, who had tried to convince Pep Guardiola, but was unable to persuade him to give up his announced sabbatical year. In the meantime, Malagò intends to entrust Gianfranco Zola with the coordination of the youth sectors, but at the moment the former player is vice president of Lega Pro and does not want to leave his position.
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