Italian football’s institutional season may yet acquire another decisive chapter, with Adriano Galliani’s name circulating as a possible bridge between government and the FIGC should the current dispute around Giovanni Malagò deepen into a wider crisis.
A contingency plan around the football federation
In political circles, the possibility of a “Plan G” has emerged as a safeguard in the event that a new rupture opens within the game’s governing structures. The scenario centres on the potential appointment of a commissioner at the FIGC, with Galliani regarded by some as a figure capable of bringing together the sporting and political sides of the discussion.
The former Milan and Monza chief executive, now a Forza Italia senator, had already been considered before the elections as a potential candidate to lead the FIGC. At that point, however, he was not persuaded by the prospect. That reluctance has not changed: Galliani is not convinced that taking on a commissioner’s role would be the right step for him.
Malagò’s position and the CONI dilemma
- Giovanni Malagò, the president of CONI, has come under pressure over the issue of an alleged failure to register correctly.
- The question has been raised before and is viewed by Malagò as a pretext, much like the separate debate over post-office employment restrictions.
- CONI’s executive committee is now assessing his position, with the matter expected to cause institutional consequences regardless of the eventual decision.
- If Malagò retains his post, CONI itself could face a period of instability.
- If his position instead leads to a different outcome, the prospect of placing the FIGC under extraordinary administration would become concrete.
The dispute has become harder to contain because the sporting prosecutor’s office and the federal prosecutor’s office have taken differing views. That division has added another political layer to a situation already stretching beyond the usual boundaries of football administration.
Galliani as a possible compromise
There are figures within the government sphere who favour direct intervention, even as Lazio president Claudio Lotito has formally kept his distance from the matter. In that climate, Galliani is being considered not simply as an emergency administrator, but as a possible compromise with the executive.
His candidacy rests on a long familiarity with both environments. Galliani’s career has placed him at the centre of Italian football’s boardrooms, while his current parliamentary role gives him a standing in national politics. Whether he would be willing to convert that dual experience into a commissionership remains the central unanswered question.
