Pep Guardiola lined up for shock return to management as ‘talks held’

Sky Italia reports that the Catalan has held talks with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) over potentially taking over the Italy national team. The 2006 world champions are without a head coach after parting company with Gennaro Gattuso back in April. Italy, who beat England in the final of Euro 2020 five years ago, did not qualify for this summer’s World Cup, having been knocked out by Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs. It meant that the Azzurri missed out on a third straight World Cup, and now the FIGC are hunting for a new man to lead them to Euro 2028. Departed: Pep GuardiolaPAPaolo Maldini, the former AC Milan and Italy defender, has been tasked with leading that quest having left his position as technical director at the San Siro to take over the same duties for the nation