FIGC in a Crisis as the Appointment of Pirlo CollapsesPaolo Maldini and Leonardo chose Andrea Pirlo as the next Italy coach after Pep Guardiola rejected it, but FIGC president Giovanni Malag halted the procedures over some delicate off-the-pitch matters, Corriere della Sera reports.The young coach faced scrutiny for a contract with a Russian betting company, for which he serves as a global ambassador. Most European countries have cut ties at the start of the war in Ukraine. He clarified in a statement that there was nothing political behind it, but that didnt stop the avalanche. The federal lawyer spent the weekend going over his contract, finding that its not directly tied to his role as manager of Dubai side United FC, which is owned by Sergey Lomakin, but rather a personal partnership.That didnt work in his favor, and Malag canceled a meeting with Pirlo and his camp to go over the formalities. The former midfielder ended his run with an Instagram post.However, Maldini and Leonardo had threatened to resign over the former Milan midfielder not getting the job, seeing it as an attack on their supposed autonomy. The president will try to prevent it before assessing other candidates for the Azzurri. The duo believes the problem was strategically leaked because the choice wasnt well-received due to technical reservations and the gaffers inexperience.Our Take on Italy and PirloWhat a mess and an unforced error, as he shouldnt have been hand-picked to begin with. They should have contemplated everything before throwing him into the fire. Its easy to be in lockstep when the decisions are obvious; now its time for the officials to prove their caliber and character.