Andrea Pirlo will not be the national team coach . The coach himself wrote on social media: "I learned last night that I am no longer a candidate for the Italian national team," reads a lengthy post published this morning.

The 2006 World Cup winner then returned to the Fonbet affair , not hiding his disappointment: "After learning last night that I am no longer a candidate for the Italian national team, I feel it is my duty to clarify some aspects. In recent days , I have witnessed with great bitterness the debate that has developed around my name and the possibility of taking on the role of coach of the Italian national team," Pirlo wrote, reiterating the points made in last night's post. "Throughout my career, first as a footballer and now as a coach, I have always conducted my activities in full compliance with the laws of the countries in which I have worked and the contracts I have signed. The professional collaboration at the centre of the recent controversy arose within the context of my work experience in the United Arab Emirates and is exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature, " Pirlo reiterated. " Attributing political significance to this collaboration means attributing to me beliefs that I have never expressed and that do not belong to me ."

Pirlo then thanked Maldini and Leonardo "for the respect and trust they have shown me. I know their expertise, their dedication, and the love they have always dedicated to Italian football. I regret that a sporting decision was quickly dragged into a public debate," Pirlo concluded, "which ended up attributing meanings and intentions to me that are not mine. My love for Italy doesn't depend on a position. It's part of my history, my identity, and it will always be with me."

Solidarity from the Russian ambassador

Russian Ambassador to Italy Alexey Paramonov expressed his "sincere and human solidarity" with the coach. "It is saddening to note that, despite your extraordinary contribution to world sport and to Italy's image around the world, in your own country, you are now being ostracized by an establishment many call 'pseudo-democratic,'" he wrote in an open letter to Pirlo.

"Your fate," it continues, "has already befallen, in recent years, thousands of Russian athletes, conductors, musicians, artists, and directors, who have been prevented from performing in the West."

The future

"Now we have to make up for a bad impression," was the brief comment from Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi. With the Pirlo option now out of the question, following the rejections of Guardiola and Ancelotti, Paolo Maldini could also be out . The national team's technical director had tied his position to a new project that couldn't be launched, particularly due to Guardiola's refusal and the political pressure that led to the Pirlo option being shelved. He could therefore resign. According to the media, the most likely replacement is Giorgio Chiellini, and in that case Antonio Conte would be back in pole position as coach. A return to the used: used, sure, but not the innovative path that Maldini and Leonardo wanted to take. A long-term project with an eye on Spain, which has won two World Cups and three European Championships in the last 18 years.

(Unioneonline/L)

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