Italian football is split over the former number (now special commissioner) in an electoral campaign that will lead to the vote on December 14th. Here are the lineups on the field.
The long shadow of Adriano Galliani on the plans for re-election as president of the FIGC Giovanni Malagò. The former number one, for a few weeks before the forfeiture imposed by Coni, moved into the role of commissioner to organize the new Election Day on December 14th and now intends to run again. Malagò now makes no secret of wanting to run to lead the Football Federation againofficially without opponents because Abete declined the idea of trying again after being defeated in June, in reality with a much less compact scenario than the one that led him to take the field last spring.
Above all, Serie A is the one thinking about the alternative, the great supporter of the first Malagò with whom, however, the feeling did not develop and not only for the management of the appointment of Roberto Mancini as coach of the national team, contested in terms and methods by the presidents of many clubs. Six months ago Malagò had collected 19 signatures out of 20 (the only one missing was that of Lazio). Today it is much weaker in a fluid framework in which there are clubs and managers working to bring Galliani on board, asking him to take charge of the FIGC in the next two years, thus also overcoming the issue of the 82 years of age of the former plenipotentiary of Berlusconi’s Milan.
Why Serie A no longer likes Malagò
Why Serie A is divided over the idea of Malagò’s reconfirmation is simple to say and leads to a combination of factors. Many presidents did not appreciate the decision-making attitude of the former CONI number one in managing the selection of the national team stafffrom the investiture of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo to the step back on Andrea Pirlo up to Mancini’s call interpreted as a choice dictated by personal relationships.
A detachment also occurred on the occasion of the mistrust towards Gianni Infantino. The president of the Lega Calcio Serie A, Ezio Simonelli, had not hidden it by making it known publicly that he did not appreciate the failure to share the times and methods of communication of the Infantino-out. In short, Malagò proved to be less maneuverable than expected by his major voters, convinced that they had to weigh more in the political issues of the federation.
Added to this is the granitic certainty of having to deal with a person disliked by this government, perceived as an enemy and opposed in many of the matches (large and small) that Italian football has to face at a time of profound crisis. With Malagò out of the way, perhaps replaced with a senator from Forza Italia, relations could change for the better is the summary of the thought.
Who wants Galliani as head of the FIGC (and who doesn’t)
The moves of the companies fit into this reasoning. The two fronts start out deeply divided, in the sense that there are those who are in favor of Malagò’s re-nomination and those who work for the alternative. The first party includes Naples, De Laurentiis has also expressed himself publicly, Lecce and Monza with Baldissoni who is very close to the former CONI president who revealed that he had personally contacted 13 presidents and had received their full support.
Whoever gave it to him now has to deal with the moves of the opponents led by Luca Percassi (Atalanta), Beppe Marotta (Inter) and Claudio Lotito (Lazio) with the possible support also of Milan. Having broken the delay, they are working to build consensus around the figure of Galliani and then get to the count.
And the other components? They wait. In the June round, players and coaches voted with Serie A, but at the time the indication regarding Malagò was solid and almost unanimous. Serie A and Lega Pro have not yet taken a decisive position and the amateurs, the preponderant force in the ballot box, have so far accepted Abete’s step backwards. A few days and everything will be clearer.
