Roberto Mancini has officially returned to the head of the Italian national team, but his appointment has not been without controversy. According to Italian media, the return of the technician has caused dissatisfaction among some of the Italian football leaders, who had preferred other alternatives for the "Azzurri" bench.
The decision came after weeks of turmoil in the Italian Football Federation. Paolo Maldini, appointed technical director on July 12, resigned just 17 days later after failing to secure a new coach. He held talks with Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola, and then tried to appoint Andrea Pirlo, but the latter's candidacy was blocked due to his links to a Russian betting company.
After Maldini's departure, Claudio Ranieri took over as technical director, while Roberto Mancini returned to managing the national team.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the opposition to Mancini's return is linked to three main reasons. The first is that FIGC president Giovanni Malago played a decisive role in his appointment, while the two are known for their close relationship.
The second reason is that some of the Lega Serie A leaders believed that the ideal candidate for the Italy bench was Antonio Conte.
Meanwhile, the third reason is related to the way Mancini left the national team in 2023. He resigned just a few weeks before the crucial Euro 2024 qualifiers, to take charge of Saudi Arabia, where he earned around 20 million euros per season.
The resignation was submitted while he was on vacation on the Greek island of Mykonos, and 10 members of Italy's technical staff also left with him.
However, the report points out that Mancini's decision was not just financial. Before leaving, he had lost some of his closest associates on the technical staff, a factor that also contributed to the breakdown of his relationship with the federation.
