Malagò shifts Italy blame onto Pirlo and Maldini over ‘bad impression’ | OneFootball

FIGC President Giovanni Malagò aimed a sideswipe at Andrea Pirlo, Paolo Maldini and Minister for Sport Andrea Abodi over the Italy chaos. ‘You have to look at who made a bad impression.’

The Azzurri are still without a coach after Pirlo’s candidacy was blocked by Malagò in the wake of his global ambassador role with Russian betting company Fonbet.

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 21: Andrea Pirlo and Paolo Maldini attend Special Teams Legends Onlus Press Conference on May 21, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

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They are banned in Italy, as is advertising for most gambling sites, and visiting Moscow in May 2026 raised serious ethical questions.

Malagò shifts Italy blame

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – MARCH 05: Giovanni Malago, President of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, speaks during the Paralympic Games Opening Press Conference ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at on March 05, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)

Minister for Sport Abodi said this morning that Italian football had to now make up for the “bad impression” it had given of itself with this controversy.

When that quote was put to FIGC President Malagò as he left a meeting this afternoon, his response seemed to shift the blame squarely on the shoulders of others.

“You have to look at who made the bad impression…”

The implication may well have been less for Pirlo and more for Maldini, who was chosen by Malagò as technical director of the Italy squad.

It was reported that Maldini was still pushing to make Pirlo the coach even after this scandal erupted, and is ready to step down just weeks after being appointed.

Meanwhile, Malagò was asked if there will be the name of a new Italy CT soon.

“We are working, soon you will know everything.”