Italy end turbulent managerial search as Roberto Mancini handed second spell

By Press Association Sport Staff

Roberto Mancini has been announced as the new head coach of Italy.

The reappointment of the 61-year-old, who led Italy to the European Championship five years ago, concludes a turbulent 24 hours for the country’s football federation.

Italy were seeking a replacement for Gennaro Gattuso, who left the role in April following the nation’s latest failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Andrea Pirlo had been favourite after Pep Guardiola declined the role, but the former midfielder announced on Monday he was no longer in contention amid controversy over his links to a Russian betting firm.

That led newly-appointed technical director Paolo Maldini and his adviser Leonardo to leave only days into their roles, with FIGC president Giovanni Malago announcing on Tuesday that Claudio Ranieri would succeed Maldini alongside Mancini coming in as head coach.

Malago told a press conference in quotes reported by Tutto Mercato Web: “What emerged, and emerged between yesterday and the day before yesterday, is true.

“There was a candidate who had been defined and agreed upon, chosen by Maldini and Leonardo, but, after what emerged about Andrea Pirlo regarding the partnership with the Russian betting agency, I was unable to give the final approval.

“There is nothing else to say on the matter, there is nothing to assume other than this. There was no conflict, there was no controversy, only disappointment.

“Even before we started, a unique and rare case arose, and at that point there was consensus in parting ways. Time was running out and I felt Roberto Mancini should become coach, for a whole host of reasons.”

Mancini had a five-year stint as head coach of Italy between 2018 and 2023, guiding the side to victory over England in the final of the European Championship in 2021 but failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

He was subsequently in charge of the Saudi Arabia national team and most recently managed Al-Sadd in Qatar.

Giorgio Chiellini had been touted as a likely successor to Maldini but it is veteran former Leicester and Roma boss Ranieri who will step into the role.

Both Mancini and Ranieri will appear at a press conference on Wednesday evening.

Pirlo’s role as a global ambassador for Russian bookmaker Fonbet had prompted objections to his potential appointment from some FIGC officials and politicians due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Pirlo, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, defended his involvement with the company in an Instagram ⁠post, writing: “During my career, first as a football player and now as a coach, I have always carried out my activity in full respect to the laws of the countries I worked in and the contracts I signed.

“To attribute a political meaning to such a collaboration means to attribute convictions that I have never expressed and that do not belong to me.”