COVERCIANO The Lega Serie A has reaffirmed its support for Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malagò, who is under pressure due to the failed registration scandal. In an official statement, Lega president Ezio Maria Simonelli stated: "We are always by his side, consistently," noting that "Malagò was identified as the first person to revive Italian football; 19 out of 20 clubs voted for him, and then other members joined in.".
Giovanni Malagò then visited the national team's headquarters in Coverciano, where he was welcomed by coach Roberto Mancini and the Azzurri, who are preparing for their Nations League debut. During the visit, Malagò spoke with the players, declaring that he had applied "cheerful, carefree pressure," urging them to demonstrate the country's faith in the national team.
The case of the failed membership registration concerns Renato Miele, a candidate who was not admitted to the federal elections due to the lack of support from one of the federal constituencies. The situation is still awaiting legal clarification from the CONI Board. Malagò expressed his regret for the situation and for those involved, emphasizing that these events "sadly run quite parallel.".
The federal president also commented that personal issues and the membership issue "are completely different issues" and that they shouldn't affect the national team; in fact, they could be a positive stimulus at this stage.
Aurelio De Laurentiis, the club's main voter, also expressed support for Malagò and criticism of certain political figures: "Malagò is the only one capable of saving football, now they want to bring him down," he declared, referring to Giorgetti and Abodi.
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