Maldini reveals Guardiola was already drawing up Italy formations: 'Money wasn't an issue'
Quick summary
Paolo Maldini claims Pep Guardiola was actively drafting tactical formations for the Italy national team job, suggesting the discussions were advanced and financial terms were not a barrier.
Full article
Attributed to original sourcePaolo Maldini says that Pep Guardiola was so intrigued about the opportunity of taking over as head coach of the Italy national team that he was already drafting potential formations and analysing the youth teams, but claims that ‘exhaustion’ and not money is the reason why the Spaniard was not appointed.
Maldini has spoken in-depth about his short-lived reign as the technical director of the FIGC and his fall-out with FIGC President Giovanni Malagò in an interview with the Corriere della Sera .
Click here to read the full interview in English.
What Maldini said about his attempts to appoint Guardiola as Italy head coach
During his bombshell interview with the Corriere della Sera, Maldini spoke openly about the conversations he and advisor Leonardo had with former Barcelona and Manchester City head coach Guardiola.
Maldini and Leonardo had visited Barcelona to speak to the recently-available tactician to discuss the project, but in the end, Guardiola decided that he was too tired after a 10-year spell in the Premier League to jump straight back into a new opportunity.
“He had expressed the idea of wanting to coach a national team to a few friends of his. We went to visit him in Barcelona, we had lunch together, we talked for a whole day,” Maldini said. “He was very tempted. He came very close to accepting. He even started writing formations down on pieces of paper,” he claimed.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 27: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, acknowledges the fans after the team’s victory during the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on April 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Reports in Italy claimed that Guardiola wanted a salary of €20m per season to take over as head coach of the national team, which Maldini strongly denies: “Absolutely not. Money was never an issue. Pep told us clearly: Give me one euro less than what the previous coach took and I’m fine.”
So, why was Maldini unable to get Guardiola over the line, then?
“Because of exhaustion,” Maldini insists. “Guardiola is coming off the back of 10 gruelling years in the Premier League. He’s had back surgery, he wants to rest. But it was a very serious discussion, we studied the squads from the U17s upwards.
BURNLEY, ENGLAND – APRIL 22: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor on April 22, 2026 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) “So then we went with Andrea (Pirlo). Malagò knew everything, we’d informed him step-by-step.”
Click here to read more from Maldini’s interview.
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What happened
Former Italy and AC Milan great Paolo Maldini has revealed that Pep Guardiola was already preparing tactical plans for the Italy national team, indicating the coaching pursuit was at an advanced stage. According to Maldini, financial compensation was not an obstacle in the discussions, pointing instead to other reasons the move did not materialise. The revelation comes as the Italian Football Federation continues its search for a permanent head coach following recent turbulence in the national team setup. Guardiola remains under contract at Manchester City, but the story underscores how seriously the Spain-born coach was being considered for the Azzurri role.
Chance analysis
This story reveals how close the FIGC came to landing one of the most coveted managers in world football. If true, it signals a significant ambition shift in Italian football governance and suggests structural or sporting reasons — rather than money — blocked the appointment. For prediction systems, the key takeaway is that Italy's coaching search is fluid and high-profile candidates remain in play, which could affect the team's tactical direction and short-term international results.
Reinforces uncertainty around Italy's head coach position and suggests a top-tier appointment was nearly made, potentially shifting Azzurri tactical expectations.
Italy's national team coaching situation remains unsettled and high-profile candidates like Guardiola are/were in play, affecting Azzurri tactical outlook and short-term competitive projections.