Malagò didn't consult Mancini or Ranieri before naming Italy's new delegation chief
Quick summary
CONI president Giovanni Malagò appointed a new delegation chief for the Italy national team without consulting current coach Roberto Mancini or predecessor Claudio Ranieri, raising concerns about the process.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceChaos continues to follow the Italy national team, as FIGC President Giovanni Malagò is now facing criticism for his decision to appoint Diana Bianchedi to the role of delegation chief, without consulting head coach Roberto Mancini, technical director Claudio Ranieri, or even Bianchedi herself.
Malagò criticised for acting alone on the selection of Italy’s new delegation chief On Sunday, Malagò announced in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport that Bianchedi, a two-time Olympic gold medalist fencer and vice-President of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), will take over as head of the Italy national team delegation.
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – JUNE 24: Diana Bianchedi, Manager of the National Olympic Committee looks on during IOC Announcement at SwissTech Convention Center on June 24, 2019 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Photo by Robert Hradil/Getty Images) This is a role that was most recently filled by Gianluigi Buffon until earlier this year, when he resigned after Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
However, later on Sunday afternoon, the appointment of Bianchedi had already run into difficulties , as she is still active in her positions with CONI, and the Italian Olympic Committee has already suggested that taking on both roles would be ‘incompatible’.
To make matters worse for Malagò, it appears that he took the decision to select Bianchedi as Italy’s new delegation chief on his own, without informing any of the important parties until the very last minute.
According to the Corriere della Sera , CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio was only informed of Malagò’s decision to appoint Bianchedi at around 9 pm on Saturday evening, the night before the announcement went out in La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Astonishingly, Bianchedi was only informed herself on Sunday morning, after Malagò’s interview/announcement was published.
Monday’s report adds that Malagò did not consult Italy national team head coach Mancini nor FIGC technical director Ranieri either.
Technical Director Claudio Ranieri and coach Roberto Mancini pose with the Italy jersey (@azzurri) Bianchedi has not yet signed any contracts with the FIGC, and for now, it remains to be seen whether she will actually take over as delegation chief or not. She and Malagò are both currently on holiday.
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What happened
CONI president Giovanni Malagò has reportedly appointed a new head of delegation for the Italy national team without consulting either current head coach Roberto Mancini or former CT Claudio Ranieri. The decision has been labeled chaotic by critics, as it bypasses the technical staff most directly involved with the squad. The lack of consultation with Mancini is particularly significant given his standing as the national team coach heading into crucial fixtures and the European Championship cycle. The appointment underscores ongoing governance tensions within Italian football administration between the FIGC, CONI, and the technical bench.
Chance analysis
This is an Italian football governance story with potential indirect effects on the national team's cohesion. The absence of consultation with Mancini ahead of a key appointment signals administrative dysfunction that could undermine the coach's authority and create friction between the FIGC/CONI and the technical staff. While not directly impacting on-pitch performance, such governance instability historically correlates with negative results and increased pressure on the head coach. For prediction purposes, the relevant signal is whether this creates disruption around upcoming international windows or affects Mancini's willingness to remain in the role.
Governance instability around the Italy national team could weaken Mancini's authority and potentially affect team performance or coaching continuity.
Monitor for signs of Mancini's future commitment to the Italy job and any disruption to international windows; administrative turmoil may correlate with underperformance.