Andrea Pirlo dominates Sunday’s front pages, but his move to become Italy head coach has hit an unexpected snag.
La Gazzetta dello Sport splashes on ‘Russian shadows’, reporting that FIGC president Giovanni Malagò wants to clarify the coach’s ties to Fonbet, a Moscow-based betting firm for whom Pirlo has served as global ambassador, before any deal is signed.
Pirlo’s lawyers insist the link runs through his current club, United FC Dubai, whose owner Sergey Lomakin holds interests in the company, and would lapse automatically, without penalty, once he leaves the Emirates.
The Corriere dello Sport goes harder, declaring that ‘Pirlo splits Italy’. It frames Paolo Maldini’s pick as a gamble that has left clubs, supporters and politicians cold, with sports minister Andrea Abodi among those voicing reservations even as he offered a measured “I’m rooting for him”.
Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini linger in the background should the federation waver. Tuttosport strikes the same note under ‘Russian sponsor, then Abodi: Pirlo’s thorns’.
Spalletti chases Kolo Muani as Juventus stir
Away from the national team, Tuttosport leads on Luciano Spalletti, who oversaw a 1-0 friendly win at Standard Liège through a Fabio Miretti strike.
“I’m waiting for Kolo!” runs the headline, a nod to the coach’s push to land Randal Kolo Muani, with Eljif Elmas, a Scudetto winner under Spalletti at Napoli, also floated. The paper adds that Loïs Openda is bound for Lyon, João Mário is edging towards Fiorentina, and Liverpool have moved for Conceição.
Inter feature prominently too. The Corriere reports the pursuit of Cristian Romero is advancing, with Oaktree ready to fund a €40m package to satisfy Tottenham, while Yann Bisseck has signed a renewal through 2031.
Napoli, meanwhile, face noise around Romelu Lukaku, whose agent warns the striker “won’t be a reserve” as the club chase a defender, with Tiago Gabriel in pole. Roma have tabled €30m plus bonuses for Bologna’s Santiago Castro.
