Italy's FIGC in talks with Pep Guardiola over national team job after Maldini and Leonardo travel to Barcelona
FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and advisor Leonardo spent three days in Barcelona presenting a four-year plan to the former Manchester City manager, who is on a break from coaching.
The Barcelona meeting
Paolo Maldini, the FIGC's new technical director, and advisor Leonardo travelled to Barcelona last weekend for a three-day meeting with Pep Guardiola. Sky Sport Italia first reported the talks, which were later confirmed by multiple outlets. A photo of the two Italian officials in the Catalan capital circulated on social media, fueling speculation among fans. The meeting was part of a formal effort by the Italian federation to convince Guardiola to become the next head coach of the national team.
- Gennaro Gattuso leaves Italy job after World Cup playoff defeat
- Pep Guardiola ends 10-year tenure at Manchester City
- Paolo Maldini and Leonardo appointed to FIGC technical leadership
- Maldini and Leonardo meet Guardiola in Barcelona for three-day talks
- FIGC president Malagò says decision on new coach is imminent
Guardiola's situation
Guardiola, 55, ended his ten-year tenure at Manchester City in May, having won six Premier League titles and the club's first Champions League. He has since stated he is taking a break from management.
I have taken a break, then I will see what to do.
The Spaniard speaks fluent Italian and played in Serie A for Brescia and Roma between 2001 and 2003, giving him a personal connection to Italian football. If appointed, he would become only the second non-Italian to coach the Azzurri and the first since the 1960s, the BBC noted.
Italy's coaching vacancy
Italy has been without a permanent head coach since Gennaro Gattuso left in April, after a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the European play-offs ended their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup. The Azzurri have now failed to qualify for three consecutive World Cups (2018, 2022, 2026) and last appeared in the tournament in 2014, where they were eliminated in the group stage. FIGC president Giovanni Malagò, elected recently, has made the coaching appointment a central priority of his early tenure.
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The FIGC's pitch
Maldini and Leonardo were appointed in July as part of a technical rebuild. Malagò revealed that it took two weeks to bring them on board, and they immediately visited the Coverciano training centre and held six to eight videoconferences to define their roles.
The aspect we discussed least was the financial and contractual one.
According to Le Parisien, the proposal presented to Guardiola outlines a four-year plan: compete in the Nations League, build a squad for Euro 2028, and qualify for the 2030 World Cup. Malagò told Sky Sport Italia that the shortlist is not confined to Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo.
There could be other names as possible coaches. Even if a great coach were interested, we don't know what his demands would be or how much he would weigh on our budget.
What comes next
Guardiola is expected to take a few days to consider the offer before communicating his decision to Maldini and Leonardo. Malagò has indicated that an announcement on the new coach is imminent. The possibility of Guardiola taking the job has generated excitement among Italian fans, while other major national teams have also turned to high-profile managers: Zinedine Zidane leads France and Jürgen Klopp is in charge of Germany, as Le Parisien pointed out.
