Marani: "In 128 years of FIGC we have never been so low. And Malagò is alone

In an interview with Il Corriere della Sera, Liga Pro President Matteo Marani discussed the current state of Italian football, raising troubling questions about its future. “Missing the World Championships three times in a row is a significant and depressing fact. In the 128 years of the Federation’s existence, we have never sunk so low,” he said.

According to Marani, the problem lies not only in the results of the national team, but also in the fact that football is losing viewers, switching their attention to other sports. “The crisis should not be seen as a competition with other disciplines. We can learn from this and learn something new,” he added.

He also noted that Italian football has a negative impact on young people, where losing is perceived as a disaster. “We need not only stars like Guardiola, but also teachers like Mino Favini and Sergio Vatta who can instill the right values,” Marani stressed.

Speaking about the leadership of Italian football, he drew attention to the fact that the crisis is not a consequence of the actions of the current President Gravina, just as it was not a consequence of the work of his predecessors. “The decline began even before the magical night in Berlin in 2006,” he noted, adding that broadcast rights had been lost. "Other countries have invested in infrastructure, while we have focused on buying players, not always the best."

Marani stressed that it is necessary for the new FIGC president, Malago, to work in collaboration with other levels of the football system. “Football is like a beautiful villa that once thrived but is now struggling to pay the bills. Serie A must take responsibility without forgetting the lower leagues,” he said.

He also noted that many Serie C clubs are experiencing financial difficulties, which ultimately affects the entire system. “When a Serie C club fails, it’s not just a Pro League problem. We are all interconnected,” he added, emphasizing that League Pro is the “lungs” of the system.

Marani discussed the introduction of the Salary Cap, which had already been trialled in Serie B and has now become permanent. “Serie A must also move forward. Rolling back the clock means ignoring reality,” he said.

In conclusion, Marani expressed the hope that his successor as President of the Pro League will be young and possibly female. As a final note, he commented on the current debate about the new national team coach: “Mancini or Conte - we have gone beyond the scope of this discussion. We seem to be focusing on the university president without worrying about money for primary school teachers.”

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