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Guardiola was close to accepting role as Italy coach, says Maldini
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Sports

Guardiola was close to accepting role as Italy coach, says Maldini

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Pep Guardiola nearly accepted the role of Italian national team manager but declined due to a need for rest, according to former Azzurri technical director Paolo Maldini.
  • Maldini revealed Guardiola was "very tempted" and "almost accepted" the position after other candidates like Carlo Ancelotti were unavailable.
  • Guardiola ultimately rejected the offer because he needed a break after a demanding decade in the Premier League, despite showing serious interest and even drafting potential lineups.

Pep Guardiola was close to accepting the position of Italian national team manager, but ultimately turned it down because he needed a period of rest, explained former Azzurri technical director Paolo Maldini.

He was very tempted and was on the verge of accepting.

— Paolo MaldiniMaldini described Guardiola's strong initial interest in managing the Italian national team.

Maldini, who departed his role following the controversy involving Andrea Pirlo's ties to a Russian betting company, disclosed that Guardiola, formerly of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, was "very tempted and was on the verge of accepting" the national team job.

After Carlo Ancelotti also declined the offer, citing Brazil's continued confidence in him, Maldini stated that Guardiola was considered because he "best represents technical and offensive play." Maldini recounted a meeting with Guardiola in Barcelona, where they discussed the possibility at length. "He was very tempted. He was on the verge of accepting. He even started writing down lineups on a piece of paper," Maldini said.

He was very tempted. He was on the verge of accepting. He even started writing down lineups on a piece of paper.

— Paolo MaldiniMaldini detailed the extent of Guardiola's consideration for the role during their meeting.

Maldini refuted claims that Guardiola had demanded €20 million, stating, "Money was never an issue. Pep clearly told us: give me one euro less than the previous coach earned, and that's enough for me." However, Guardiola ultimately decided against it due to exhaustion. "Guardiola is coming off ten exhausting years in the Premier League. He had back surgery. He wants to rest. But it was a very serious conversation. We analyzed the squads, from the under-17s upwards."

Money was never an issue. Pep clearly told us: give me one euro less than the previous coach earned, and that's enough for me.

— Paolo MaldiniMaldini clarified that financial demands were not a barrier to Guardiola accepting the position.

Ultimately, the Italian Football Federation president, Giovanni Malagò, appointed Roberto Mancini as the national team manager.

Guardiola is coming off ten exhausting years in the Premier League. He had back surgery. He wants to rest. But it was a very serious conversation.

— Paolo MaldiniMaldini explained Guardiola's primary reason for declining the offer was the need for recovery.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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