Italy are closing in on a decision over their next head coach, with Maldini and Leonardo having launched a direct approach for Pep Guardiola this week, only to find the Spaniard’s desire for a sabbatical remains the primary obstacle. The Azzurra have been without a permanent manager since Gennaro Gattuso was dismissed in April following Italy’s shocking elimination by Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup qualifying — their third consecutive failure to reach the tournament. With the 2026 finals now concluded, the Italian Football Federation are working towards having a new head coach in place for the September Fifa window.
Paolo Maldini, the new director of national teams, and Brazilian consultant Leonardo travelled to Spain over the weekend to present the FIGC project to Guardiola and convince him to take charge. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the pair conducted a ‘blitz’ meeting with the former Manchester City boss, but were unable to reach a breakthrough in these initial discussions. Guardiola’s sabbatical wish, and the England precedent
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Guardiola has been clear about his intentions since leaving City at the end of the 2025-26 season.
‘I decided to stop because I want to take better care of myself. Mentally, I do not feel I am missing anything. I want to try to discover life, to be happy doing other things not related to football,’ he told OKX after confirming his departure. The stance echoes the approach taken by Jurgen Klopp, who left Liverpool insisting he needed time away from the game, before eventually taking up a director of football role at Red Bull and is now reportedly close to being announced as Germany head coach.
Guardiola also came close to an international role previously: according to The Athletic, he had reached a verbal agreement with England before Thomas Tuchel was appointed in January 2025. Italy are unwilling to wait indefinitely, which is why Thursday’s joint FIGC and Serie A meeting, at which Maldini and Leonardo will formally present their proposals, is set to be decisive. The clubs are also prepared to contribute to the new manager’s salary in order to avoid straining the federation’s budget. Pirlo emerges as immediate Plan B, but Conte and Mancini also in contention
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Should Guardiola’s sabbatical hold firm, Andrea Pirlo, World Cup winner with Italy in 2006 and former Juventus head coach, is understood to be the most immediately viable alternative. His salary expectations would be considerably more modest, and his current role at Dubai United in the UAE is not expected to be an obstacle if the FIGC move. Pirlo is not the only name in circulation.
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Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini, both former Italy managers, are also among the candidates to succeed Gattuso and begin the cycle towards Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. Conte told DAZN this weekend that he has not yet been contacted by the FIGC. FIGC president Giovanni Malagò was characteristically cryptic. ‘It is not just about Pirlo and Mancini, there could be a surprise.
There are only a few days left and you will find out,’ he told reporters. Italy’s next coach will be required to begin their UEFA Nations League campaign on 25 September against Belgium.
