Italy is looking for a shake-up. One of those decisions that not only changes a bench, but also the mood of a country. And in this scenario appears a name that changes everything: Pep Guardiola. The Italian Federation is considering the possibility of tempting the Manchester City coach to become the Azzurri’s coach, a complex operation, almost on the borderline between desire and reality, but not ruled out from the outset.
The main problem is money. Guardiola, who was linked with Brazil, earns figures at City that are unattainable by the FIGC’s usual standards: around 24.8 million euros gross, far from the salaries Italy has managed in recent years. Roberto Mancini, after winning the European Championship, earned three million net. Not even that amount comes close to Pep’s current status, although the Federation recalls a precedent: when Antonio Conte took over the Italian bench in 2014, a sponsor assumed a significant part of his salary.
There is a possible way forward. Puma, a brand linked to Guardiola and a sponsor with whom the coach has a close relationship, could play a role similar to that played by the commercial partner in the arrival of Conte. It would not only be a question of signing a coach, but also of building a project around a global figure, capable of reviving the image of an Italy depressed after years of sporting blows.
The idea also has an emotional component. Guardiola has always shown affection for Italy. He played for Brescia and Roma, speaks the language and has acknowledged on several occasions his admiration for Italian football. In 2018, when asked about the possibility of working in Serie A or in the country, he left the door open with a “why not?”. Now the scenario would be different: not a club, but a national team.
He wants to be with a national team
“I would like to have the experience of living a World Cup, a European Championship, a Copa America, whatever. I would like to experience a major national team competition. I don’t know when, in five, 10 or 15 years, but I would like to play in a World Cup as a coach. To work in a national team, you have to be wanted and hired, as happens with clubs. I don’t know who wants me to work in a national team,” he told ESPN in 2021.
Leonardo Bonucci, currently linked to the federative work, fed the dream a few days ago: “I would start again with Guardiola. He is the right man for Italy. I know it is not easy, but dreaming costs nothing”. His phrase has caught on at a time of searching, with the FIGC pending elections and the need to set a new direction after Gattuso’s tenure.
Looking ahead
Guardiola still has a contract with Manchester City and his present is to finish the season, with the Premier League and the FA Cup on the horizon. In England and Catalonia there has been talk for months of a possible departure, although Pep has not made a definitive decision. What does seem clear is that if he leaves City, the option of a national team has attracted him for some time: less daily wear and tear than a club, but enough competitive adrenaline.
England, one of his great desires, has Thomas Tuchel tied up until 2028. Brazil has renewed Carlo Ancelotti until 2030. And there Italy wants to look askance, in case Guardiola’s love for the country can weigh more than money. The operation will not be easy. But at the FIGC they are beginning to think that, at the very least, the call is a must. Pep from Cityzen to Azzurro: a dream that is expensive, difficult and perhaps not impossible.
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