Azzurri Some Day for Claudio Ranieri

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Claudio Ranieri has expressed an interest in managing Italy, saying he could “never rule out” taking over his country’s national team.

The 64-year-old’s remarkable success with Leicester City has significantly boosted his profile and led to Carlo Tavecchio, the president of the Italian football federation, suggesting he could one day lead Italy to World Cup glory, and even suggested Ranieri, who was born in Rome, could succeed Antonio Conte after he leaves the national team following their participation at Euro 2016 and joins Chelsea.

“I hope Ranieri can win a World Cup with Italy, that would be the best,” said Tavecchio. “I’m speaking in an abstract way, of course, and not necessarily about the next World Cup. Claudio is still young and will have time on his side.

“Have we thought about him as a replacement for Conte? It’s him who should be thinking about us!”

Ranieri’s previous experience of international management was with Greece, a post he was sacked from prior to taking over at Leicester last July.

“I’ll admit I was curious about coaching a national team, but my experience with Greece was sufficient,” Ranieri said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Of course, leading Italy would be something else. I’d never rule that out, and I’d like that very much. And Leicester, after all, have blue shirts just like the Azzurri.”

During the same interview, Ranieri admitted that he would have accepted a job in “the Football League” after being let go by Greece, such was his desire to return to England having previously managed in this country with Chelsea.

“Two other Premier clubs had contacted me but then they made other choices. Leicester convinced me because of their sense of leadership, their programs, and their facilities. They are perfectly organised,” said Ranieri. “When I met the players I told them: ‘I’ll take a bit of time to know you all because you are so many, but you will need to know a single person: me. I ask only one thing: that you give all you can for each other’. And they did.”

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Cesare Maldini 1932 - 2016

Former Milan defender and Italy manager Cesare Maldini has died at the age of 84, the Serie A club have announced.

The Italian won four league titles with the Rossoneri between 1954 and 1962 and also captained Milan to their inaugural European Cup triumph in 1963. He would later go onto manage them, winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup and Coppa Italia in 1972-73. He helped Italy to World Cup glory in 1982 as the team’s assistant manager, and got the chance to coach his son, Paolo, when he was appointed as Italy manager between 1996-1998.

Milan said in a statement: “AC Milan sends its condolences to the Maldini following the passing of Rossoneri great Cesare Maldini. Cesare skippered the club to its first European Cup triumph in 1963 at Wembley and the loss of such a key figure in Rossoneri history has left everyone at AC Milan moved and saddened. Cesare had recently turned 84 and he left his mark at the club not only as a player, but also as a coach and scout.

The club president Silvio Berlusconi and the rest of the club will always remember fondly his charisma, kindness and warm smile.”

Franco Baresi, another legendary Milan and Italy defender, led the tributes to Maldini: “He was above all a really good person and he has left us. He was a legend and an incredible captain. As a coach he achieved so much and I had the good fortune of getting to know him really well. I was lucky enough to share with him the experience of the 1982 World Cup. I learnt so much from him. He was important and key in passing on the kind of values that we so often forget.”

Milan have confirmed that they will wear black armbands in Sunday’s match against Atalanta and the Italian Football Association have said that there will be a minute’s silence before all matches on Sunday and Monday in Italy in memory of Maldini.

Mauro Tassotti, who played over 400 matches for Milan and played under Maldini for the national team, also expressed his condolences. “I had no idea he was unwell,” the 56-year-old said. “It’s such a blow for Paolo but also for my family and football as a whole. He was involved in the game for 60 years. This is a sad day for our sport and not just for Milan. I will remember Cesare for his kindness. He was a part of several eras of the game. In my view, he took that benevolence that existed in the 1960s and modernised it.”

#RIP

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Aduriz Hits First Gol for La Roja

Aritz Aduriz scored his first goal for Spain at the age of 35 to give the reigning European champions a fortuitous 1-1 draw against Italy in a friendly in Udine.

Lorenzo Insigne ended Spain’s run of six successive clean sheets when he finished off a counterattack to give the hosts a deserved lead midway through the second half at the Stadio Friuli.

However, Aduriz, who made his only previous appearance for Spain six years ago and was recalled thanks to his prolific form with Athletic Bilbao, replied three minutes later with Spain’s first shot on target.

The result ended Spain’s run of seven successive wins and they would have lost if had it not been for an inspired performance by their goalkeeper David de Gea.

Italy were missing the midfielders Claudio Marchisio and Marco Verratti and the defenders Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, while Spain were without the forward Diego Costa.

The hosts fielded a 3-4-3 formation and were far livelier than a pedestrian Spain. Antonio Candreva nearly put them ahead with a long-range shot in the first half that De Gea turned around the post.

Italy took the lead in the 67th minute when the substitute Insigne diverted Emanuele Giaccherini’s low cross past De Gea following a quick break.

They led for only four minutes before Cesc Fàbregas floated a free-kick into the area, Gianluigi Buffon failed to hold Álvaro Morata’s header and Aduriz fired the rebound into the roof of the net.

Insigne thought he had won the game for Italy with a delightful chip over De Gea but the goalkeeper managed to tip the ball over the bar.

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