Ceferin and Buonfiglio on the possible administration of the FIGC: agreement with Socar and institutional tension

Back and forth between the president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, and that of CONI, Luciano Buonfiglio, on the hypothesis of placing the football federation under commissionership. On the day in which Giovanni Malago''s FIGC goes on the counterattack, and in contrast to the national team's image crisis, closes a sponsorship agreement with Socar, the Azerbaijani oil giant owner of ItalPetroli, the specter of Coni intervention continues to hover in the background due to Malagò's failure to register before the election.

"It is not the first time that the issue of external interference in the FIGC's activities has been raised: FIFA and UEFA have always clearly insisted on the autonomy of the federations. I hope that the competent bodies will take a decision in compliance with the rules of the sporting system as soon as possible: the worsening of the institutional crisis is not good for anyone", Ceferin said in an interview with the Gazzetta.

Buonfiglio's response was immediate: "I fully agree with the words of President Ceferin when he states that he hopes that the competent bodies will take a decision in compliance with the rules of the sporting system as soon as possible. Exactly what Coni has always done in its 112 years of history and which it will continue to do in the future", the clarification of the President Coni, who also recalled how Coni acts "within its perimeter, rejecting interference and pressure of any kind as established by the Olympic Charter", and above all that in 2017, with the European Championship in Italy in sight, the CONI of Malago will be the commissioner of the FIGC.

The most probable date for the Executive and Council is between 6 and 10 October, when the vote will be based on the legal opinions requested by Buonfiglio (the first has arrived in these hours, the others are expected in the next 48 hours), which will be contrasted with the others brought by Malagò: if, as he has clearly implied, the Coni president will propose the administration ("being friends does not mean being accomplices", the repeated phrase), the scenario which is currently considered probable it is a yes council and a more divided council.

Diana Bianchedi would remain out of the voters.

Meanwhile, Malago', who today in Baku signed the agreement until 2030 (extendable until 2032) with Rovshan Najaf, president of Socar, will fly to Bursa tomorrow for the second match of Mancini's Italy, against Turkey.