Italy's Bold National-Team Makeover Collapses Into Self-Inflicted Chaos
Italy's bid to reboot the national team under Paolo Maldini and Leonardo unraveled within weeks as big-name targets like Guardiola and Ancelotti declined and Andrea Pirlo's candidacy was tainted by betting sponsorships and Russia-linked ties, exposing governance and ethical tensions and leaving a supposedly fresh era resembling the old, mired in self-inflicted controversy.