Giovanni Malago ‘names’ Diana Bianchedi Italy head of delegation as Buffon’s successor | OneFootball

Diana Bianchedi has been appointed head of the Italy national team delegation, Giovanni Malago said in an interview on Sunday. She succeeds Gianluigi Buffon, who left in April after the Nazionale failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

"It is a way to put football back at the centre of the discussion," Malago said. He told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Bianchedi, 56, is a double Olympic champion in team foil, winning gold in 1992 in Barcelona and 2000 in Sydney. She is also vice-president of the Italian National Olympic Committee.

Malago also addressed the Andrea Pirlo episode. Pirlo was initially chosen to coach Italy, but a personal deal with a Russian betting company scuppered the move. "Everything was finalised, then this story emerged. What should I have done? I did not sleep that night, but I am convinced I made the right decision."

Roberto Mancini, who led the side from 2018 to 2023, has ultimately been selected to take charge again. Technical director Paolo Maldini and his assistant, Leonardo, left their roles after the Pirlo plan fell through. Malago described the ongoing rebuild of the FIGC structure as complex, though he said progress is being made.

Source: L'Équipe

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