Italian football federation bends pay rules for Guardiola

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has established financial "exceptions" to facilitate the appointment of Pep Guardiola as the national team's next head coach. President Giovanni Malago confirmed the unusual fiscal preparations, explicitly linking them to the former Manchester City manager.

"[Financial] exceptions have been made, exceptions that for example may concern the name that is so overbearing in these hours: Pep Guardiola," Malago told Gazzetta dello Sport. He added that these concessions were made "for obvious reasons that I am not here to explain, but it is not certain that this thing will go through."

For observers of European sports economics, this represents a striking departure from standard federation payroll constraints. National sporting bodies typically operate under strict remuneration caps dictated by their broader institutional structures. Bending these rules suggests the FIGC is navigating complex tax frameworks or arranging private supplementary income to secure a premium asset normally exclusive to wealthy corporate-backed clubs.

The aggressive financial pursuit underscores the severe commercial cost of Italy's recent on-pitch failures. The vacancy opened in April when Gennaro Gattuso stepped down. His departure followed Italy's failure to qualify for a third consecutive tournament, a historic slump for a four-time World Cup winner. Repeated absences from major international competitions deprive the federation of millions in guaranteed broadcasting revenues, sponsorship bonuses and matchday income.

Securing a manager of Guardiola's calibre is effectively a high-cost brand rescue operation. Following a 10-year tenure at Manchester City that ended last season, Guardiola accumulated a trophy haul including six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League. His prior stints managing Barcelona and Bayern Munich demonstrate a proven ability to generate global commercial returns across Europe's biggest markets.

Despite the tailored financial framework, the FIGC is actively maintaining a broader recruitment strategy. Roberto Mancini, who previously led Italy to Euro 2020 glory, and former national team midfielder Andrea Pirlo remain reported candidates. Asked if Guardiola, Mancini and Pirlo were the only names on the shortlist, Malago replied: "Absolutely not. We think about a certain profile and certainly these names fall into that category."